Coins of British India

Coins of British India

The British East India Company established its initial settlement in Surat in 1612, and started minting coins from the mid 17th century. The early European style coins were not popular outside their jurisdiction. So in spite of having their own mints, the Company either sent its bullion to the Mughal mints or forged the common coins of the contemporary Mughal Emperor. In 1717 the British obtained the right to strike their own rupees in the name of the Mughal emperor Farrukhsiyar in the island of Bombay.[1]

Contents

Presidency issues

Presidency coin introduction (under construction) mughal style coinage introduction Most early presidency coinage were stuck in the Mughal pattern, particularly for the higher denominations in silver.

    Bengal Presidency issues

    Even though the British had established a trading post at Fort William (in modern day Kolkata), Bengal Presidency acquired its proper form after the Battle of Buxar in 1764. As a outcome of the Indian defeat, Shuja-ud-Daulah of Oudh signed the Treaty of Allahbad, granting the East India Company rights to collect revenues from large parts of eastern India. Early Bengal Presidency issues were stuck under the name of the Mughal Emperor Alamgir II, and later Shah Alam II. The monetary system followed (which was to be an Indian standard till 1 April 1957) was,

    • 1 pie = 1/3 pice = 1/12 anna
    • 1 pice = 1/4 anna = 1/64 rupee
    • 1 anna = 1/16 rupee
    • 15 rupees (approximately) = 1 mohur

    Bombay Presidency issues

    In December 1672, the East India Company started a mint in Bombay and European style silver, copper and tin coins were struck here. The silver coins were named Anglina, the copper coins were named Copperoon and the tin coins Tinny. The monetary system followed was 11 Tinnys = 1 Copperoon and 48 Copperoons = 1 Anglina. The obverse of these coins consisted the arms of the Company in the inner circle and the legend HON:SOC:ANG:IND:ORI (Honorabilis Sociatas Anglicana Indiarum Orientalium) in the outer circle. The reverse of these coins had a legend MON BOMBAY ANGLIC REGIMS A°7° in the centre and another legend A DEO PAX & INCREMENTVM around it.[1][2]

    Madras Presidency issues

    (under construction) both monetary system

    Colonial issues (uniform coinage)

    (under construction)

    Issues struck under East India Company authority

    (under construction)

    William IV (1835)

    Victoria Queen (1840-1858)

    Regal issues

    After the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the ruling power over India was transferred from the British East India Company to the British Crown. From 1862 till Indian independence in 1947, coins were stuck under the authority of the crown. Gaps in years indicate that coinage was not struck bearing those dates. Sometimes, coins were struck during subsequent years bearing a previous date, for example, coins bearing the year 1862.

    Victoria Queen (1862-1876)

    Victoria Empress (1877-1901)

    Edward VII (1903-1910)

    bald king, talk about crowned issues ("correction of mistake").

    George V (1911-1936)

    1911 pig rupee wartime measures (non-silver coinage)

    Edward VIII (-)

    During the short reign of Edward VIII, no coins were issued in India bearing his portrait. Several coins bearing the portrait of Edward VIII are sometimes offered for sale on online auction sites, but these fantasy pieces are possibly modern productions and never under consideration for official issue.

    George VI (1938-1947)

    1939 rupee change in silver content wartime measures

    Coins of the following denominations were issued as well:

    • 1/12 Anna
    • 1/2 Pice
    • 1/4 Anna
    • Pice
    • 1/2 Anna
    • Anna
    • 2 Annas
    • 1/4 Rupee
    • 4 Annas
    • 8 Annas
    • 1/2 Rupee
    • Rupee
    • 5 Rupees (1/3 Mohur)
    • 10 Rupees (2/3 Mohur)
    • 15 Rupees (Mohur)
    • 30 Rupees (2 Mohur)
    • British Gold Sovereign, as an emergency war issue, in 1918.

    There are many rare coins of this period which interests the coin collectors. The 1939 Rupee is the most expensive rupee.

    See also

    References

    1. ^ a b Gupta, P. L. (1996). Coins, New Delhi: National Book Trust, ISBN 81-237-1887-X, pp.199-219.
    2. ^ Colin R. Bruce II, et al. (editors) (1981) The Standard Guide to South Asian Coins and Paper Money Since 1556 AD, Iola: Krause Publications, ISBN 0-87341-069-6, pp.272-306

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