550 Rupees 550th Birthday Celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev Ji

Reverse

"550th Birthday Celebrations" written at the top in three lines.
Gurdwara Janam Asthan (also known as Gurdwara Nankana Sahib is a shrine located in the city of Nankana Sahib, near the city of Lahore in the Punjab province of Pakistan) in the center.
"SRI GURU NANAK DEV JI 1469-2019" written at the bottom three lines.

Lettering:
550th Birthday Celebrations
SRI GURU NANAK DEV JI 1469-2019

Engraver: Lahore Mint Pakistan

Edge

Reeded

Comment

To mark the upcoming 550th birth anniversary of the founder of the Sikh religion, Guru Nanak, Pakistan issued commemorative 50 rupees coins on Wednesday 30th October 2019.

The Nankana Sahib Gurdwara, a site sacred to Sikhs, is inscribed on one side of the coins with the words ‘550th birthday celebrations’ and ‘Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji’ embossed on the edges. The other side illustrates Pakistan’s emblem, a crescent and a star, with ‘Islamic Republic of Pakistan’ etched in Urdu. According to officials, the 50 rupees coin will be available to pilgrims at the Kartarpur Sahib, along with postal stamp worth Rs8.

The goodwill gesture is part of the initiatives by Pakistan to promote interfaith harmony ahead of the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak and the opening of Kartarpur Corridor. Prime Minister Imran Khan will formally inaugurate the corridor on November 9, which would allow Sikh pilgrims from India visa-free travel to Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib – one of Sikhism’s holiest pilgrimage sites. Pakistan and India signed the much-awaited Kartarpur agreement last week in a rare act of cooperation between the two sides in these tense times. The peace corridor will allow around 5,000 Sikh pilgrims to visit the shrine every day.

This week, Pakistan’s premier laid the foundation stone for a university in Nankana Sahib district, named after Guru Nanak. “Setting up of an educational institution is the best way to pay homage to Baba Guru Nanak because education is the key to nations’ success,” Imran Khan said in his speech.

The Sikh community around the world welcomed the initiative and expressed its appreciation for Pakistan and PM Imran Khan on social media. “This kindness of yours speaks a lot about your vision for Pakistan and world,” wrote Jeevanjot Brar while thanking the premier. “Thanks and respect from the bottom of our hearts,” read another comment by Jas Singh. Many were interested in buying the coin to add to their collection and insisted that Pakistan government to make it available online.

Pakistan is home to some of the holiest Sikh sites and Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur is believed to have been built on the site in Pakistan’s Narowal district where Guru Nanak breathed his last in the 16th century. The opening of religious passage would connect Pakistan’s Kartarpur with Dera Baba Nanak shrine in India’s Gurdaspur district and actualise decades-old wish of the Sikh community.

Guru Nanak ([gʊɾuː naːnəkᵊ], About this soundpronunciation, IAST: Gurū Nānak) (15 April 1469 – 22 September 1539) was the founder of Sikhism and the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. His birth is celebrated worldwide as Guru Nanak Gurpurab on Kartik Pooranmashi, the full-moon day in the month of Katak, October–November.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guru_Nanak

Governor SBP Dr. Reza Baqir unveiled the commemorative coin of Rs.550 to mark the 550th birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak at State Bank of Pakistan.
A delegation of Sikh Community led by Sardar Ramesh Singh Khalsa, Patron in Chief Pakistan Sikh Council & Member Prime Minister’s Taskforce for Evacuee Trust Property Board, comprising members of Pakistan Sikh Council and Baba Guru Nanak Darbar also attended the ceremony.
In his welcome address, the Governor informed the audience that this was the first time in the history of the country that a coin in memory of a religious personality is issued. He cited three reasons behind the issuance of the commemorative coin in the name of Baba Guru Nanak.
The first is that through this gesture, State Bank has contributed in the national efforts to support inter-religious harmony.
Second, the coin will underscore the message of peace taught by Baba Guru Nanak.
Third, this initiative is to promote peace, which enhances economic prosperity which is a key goal of the State Bank of Pakistan.
The Chief Guest, Sardar Ramesh Singh Khalsa in his address thanked the Governor SBP and State Bank and stated that the issuance of the coin serves as special gift for 140 million Sikhs living all over the world.
It may be added here that the Commemorative Coin are available through the exchange counters of all the field offices of SBP Banking Services Corporation from November 12, 2019. These coins are also available at Nankana Sahib Gurdwara and Shrine of Baba Guru Nanak at Kartarpur Sahib.

Coin Varieties

2 varieties of this coin exists.

Interesting fact

Price

Values in the table are based on evaluations by sales realized on Internet platforms. They serve as an indication only for 550 Rupees (550th Birthday Celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev Ji) 2019 coin.