How to count cash by denomination, and split an amount into the fewest notes
The short answer. Multiply the number of pieces of each note or coin by its value, then add the rows: 12 notes of ₹500 make ₹6,000. A drawer of 65 notes and 26 coins worked through below comes to ₹9,587. To split an amount into the fewest pieces, take the largest note that fits first: ₹7,865 needs 20 pieces.
A shop closing the counter, a cashier handing over a shift and a treasurer filling a bank deposit slip all do the same sum, and the deposit slip needs the note counts and the total to agree. Doing it on paper invites one slip in the running total; the Cash Denomination Calculator does the multiplying and adding as you type each count.
How to count a drawer
- Sort the cash into piles by value: ₹500, ₹200, ₹100, ₹50, ₹20 and ₹10 notes, then ₹20, ₹10, ₹5, ₹2 and ₹1 coins.
- Count the pieces in each pile. Count each pile twice; a miscount in the ₹500 pile costs more than all the coins together.
- Multiply each count by the value of the note or coin.
- Add the rows for the total, and add the counts for the number of notes and coins.
- Write the total in words for the slip, on the lakh and crore scale.
In the calculator, type each count and press Enter to move to the next row, so a whole drawer goes in from the keyboard.
A worked example
| Note or coin | Pieces | Amount (₹) |
|---|---|---|
| ₹500 note | 12 | 6,000 |
| ₹200 note | 5 | 1,000 |
| ₹100 note | 18 | 1,800 |
| ₹50 note | 7 | 350 |
| ₹20 note | 9 | 180 |
| ₹10 note | 14 | 140 |
| ₹10 coin | 6 | 60 |
| ₹5 coin | 8 | 40 |
| ₹2 coin | 5 | 10 |
| ₹1 coin | 7 | 7 |
| Total | 91 pieces | 9,587 |
That is 65 notes and 26 coins, with ₹117 of the total in coins. In words: Rupees Nine Thousand Five Hundred Eighty Seven Only. The calculator writes the words the same way; for any other amount, the Rupees to Words Converter spells it out.
How to split an amount into the fewest notes and coins
Take as many of the largest note as fit, then move down to the next with what is left, and so on to ₹1. For Indian denominations this rule always gives the fewest pieces; the calculator's tests check it against a search of every possible combination for every amount up to ₹10,000. Notes are used for ₹10 and above, coins for ₹5, ₹2 and ₹1.
₹7,865 splits as fifteen ₹500 notes (₹7,500), then one each of ₹200, ₹100, ₹50 and ₹10, and a ₹5 coin: 20 pieces.
| Amount | Fewest notes and coins, without ₹2000 notes | Pieces |
|---|---|---|
| ₹1,250 | 2 × ₹500, 1 × ₹200, 1 × ₹50 | 4 |
| ₹4,999 | 9 × ₹500, 2 × ₹200, 1 × ₹50, 2 × ₹20, 1 × ₹5, 2 × ₹2 | 17 |
| ₹7,865 | 15 × ₹500, 1 × ₹200, 1 × ₹100, 1 × ₹50, 1 × ₹10, 1 × ₹5 | 20 |
| ₹25,000 | 50 × ₹500 | 50 |
| ₹1,00,000 | 200 × ₹500 | 200 |
With ₹2000 notes allowed, ₹7,865 drops to 11 pieces (three ₹2000 and three ₹500 notes, then the same small notes and the coin) and ₹25,000 to 14 (twelve ₹2000 and two ₹500 notes). The Denomination Calculator page opens on this split mode, with the ₹2000 note off until you switch it on.
Which notes and coins count
According to the Reserve Bank of India:
- Notes issued now: ₹10, ₹20, ₹50, ₹100, ₹200 and ₹500.
- Old ₹5 and ₹2 notes are no longer printed but remain legal tender, and ₹1 notes are issued by the Government of India.
- Coins in use: 50 paise, ₹1, ₹2, ₹5, ₹10 and ₹20. Coins of 25 paise and smaller are not legal tender (25 paise from 30 June 2011).
- The ₹2000 note was withdrawn from circulation on 19 May 2023 but is still legal tender. Ordinary bank branches no longer exchange it; the 19 RBI Issue Offices do, directly or by India Post. By 29 November 2025, 98.39% of these notes had come back.
Under section 6 of the Coinage Act, 2011, coins of ₹1 and above are legal tender for up to ₹1,000 in one payment, and 50 paise coins for up to ₹10. Beyond that a shop or person may refuse coins.
If it doesn't add up
- The total does not match the cash book. Recount the largest pile first. One ₹500 note missed is ₹500; a whole pile of ₹1 coins is rarely that much.
- You hold old small notes or ₹2000 notes. Open More rows in the calculator to add the ₹2000 note and the ₹5, ₹2 and ₹1 notes and 50 paise coin.
- The split leaves paise over. Only the 50 paise coin pays paise, and only when that row is switched on. Anything below 50 paise cannot be paid in coins and is shown separately.
Questions people ask
How do I count cash by denomination?
Sort the notes and coins into piles by value, count the pieces in each pile, and multiply by the value: 12 notes of ₹500 make ₹6,000. Add every row for the total and add the counts for the number of pieces. A drawer of 65 notes and 26 coins can come to ₹9,587, as the worked example shows.
How do I write the cash total in words for a deposit slip?
Write the amount on the Indian lakh and crore scale, starting with Rupees and ending with Only. ₹9,587 is Rupees Nine Thousand Five Hundred Eighty Seven Only, and ₹1,25,000 would start Rupees One Lakh Twenty Five Thousand. The calculator writes the words for your total as you type the counts, ready to copy onto the slip.
What is the fewest number of notes for an amount?
Use the largest note that fits, as many times as it fits, then the next largest, down to the ₹1 coin. For Indian denominations this always gives the fewest pieces. ₹7,865 becomes fifteen ₹500 notes, one each of ₹200, ₹100, ₹50 and ₹10, and a ₹5 coin, which is twenty pieces in all.
Is the ₹2000 note still legal tender?
Yes. The Reserve Bank of India withdrew ₹2000 notes from circulation on 19 May 2023, but they continue to be legal tender. Ordinary bank branches no longer exchange them; the 19 RBI Issue Offices exchange or deposit them, and notes can be sent there by India Post. By 29 November 2025, 98.39% had been returned.
Can a shop refuse payment in coins?
Yes, above a limit. Under section 6 of the Coinage Act, 2011, coins of ₹1 and above are legal tender for up to ₹1,000 in one transaction, and 50 paise coins for up to ₹10. Beyond those amounts a shop or person may refuse coins, though accepting more is allowed. Coins of 25 paise and smaller are not legal tender.
Sources
Checked 30 Sep 2026:
- Reserve Bank of India: Indian Currency FAQ and its PDF, updated 15 April 2025 (notes and coins issued, legal tender, the Coinage Act limits)
- Reserve Bank of India: press release of 1 December 2025 (₹2000 notes: 98.39% returned by 29 November 2025, exchange at the 19 Issue Offices)
- Every total, word form and split on this page is calculated with the Cash Denomination Calculator's own rule.