Introduction
Issue
of coins by East India Company in the three presidencies in India
Prior to early 18th century, the East
India Company got no permission to mint their own coins. They had to send their
bullion to be coined at the mints of local rulers. Of course the company un-authorizedly
minted some coins which were circulated in areas where factories of company
were located and in some nearby areas. Gradually the company was able to get
permission from local rulers to establish mints of their own in the 3 different
presidencies and to mint their own coins. In the beginning, hand struck coins
were minted. Later coining machines were imported and machine struck coins were
issued
In Bombay Presidency, in the year 1716, the company
was granted permission to mint their own coins.
In Madras presidency, in the year 1742, the company was
granted permission to mint their own coins.
In Bengal presidency, in the year 1758, the company got the
permission to establish their own mint at Calcutta . Later, mints at Murshidabad, Benares and Farukkabad etc were also established.
Uniform
coinage of India
Prior to 1835 A.D., though the East India Company
issued coins in 3 Presidencies, these coins were circulated in local area for
use in the local trade.
At that time, for any particular value, the coins
circulated in different areas of India , were of different weight, fineness and size.
In order to remove this chaotic condition, the Company decided to introduce a
uniform coinage in the territories of the company.
All the details of the new Silver and Gold coinage
were laid down by Act XVIII of 1835. As per this act the weight of the rupee
coin was standardized at 180 grains troy (1 Tola) and its fineness at 11/12
(i.e. 165 grains of pure silver and 15 grains of alloy). The Silver and Gold coins
would bear the effigy of the then king of United Kingdom .
All the details of the new Copper coinage were laid
down by Act XXI of 1835. As per this act the weight and size of the copper
coins were standardized and these were minted in 100% copper.
In this blog, we will discuss about the coins issued
during the period 1835 (the year of introduction of uniform coinage) to 1947
(the year of India ’s independence). Though die varieties exist in almost all coins issued,
we will restrict our scope of discussion only to the basic varieties, issued.
Kings
and Queens of United Kingdom
King William IV – (1835 to
1837)
In 1835, when the Uniform coinage in India was adopted, King William IV was the monarch of the British Islands 20th June 1837 .
Coins issued during the
reign of King William IV :
The
Gold coins issued during his period were – Two Mohurs, Mohur.
The
Silver coins issued during his period were – One Rupee, Half Rupee, ¼ Rupee
The
Copper coins issued during his period were – ½ Anna, ¼ Anna, 1/12 Anna
Queen Victoria
On the death of her uncle William IV on 20th
June 1837 , Queen Victoria came to the throne. The administration of Indian
Empire was done by the East India Company. After the First War of Independence
in 1857, by an act of the Parliament in 1858, the Government and administration
of India were transferred from East India Company to a council of state under
the crown, with effect from 1st November 1858 and Victoria was
proclaimed the ‘Queen
of Great Britain and the colonies’. Thus the long rule of East India
Company came to an end. This political change was also reflected on the coins
issued after this. She died on 22nd Jan 1901
Coins Issued: Coins
issued during her period of reign, can be divided into two broad groups.
i) Those issued during 1837 - 1858, under the
auspices of East India Company.
Coins issued during this
period of reign of Queen Victoria
The Gold coins issued during this
period were – Mohur both(Continuous Legend) and
(Divided Legend).
The Silver coins issued during this
period were – One Rupee, Half Rupee, ¼ Rupee, Two Annas - both(Continuous
Legend) and (Divided Legend).
The Copper coins issued during this
period were – Half Anna, One quarter Anna, Half Pice,
1/12 Anna
ii) Those issued in the period 1858 - 1901,
after the Government and administration of the country was transferred to the
crown.
Coins issued during the second period, may again be
subdivided under –
a)
Those issued in the period 1858 – 1876:
When Victoria was the 'Queen of Great Britain and the colonies' (including India ), so that the legend on all coins issued during this
period was “VICTORIA
QUEEN” with a crowned bust.
Coins issued during this
period of reign of Queen Victoria
The Gold coins issued during this
period were – One Mohur, 10 Rupees, 5
Rupees
The Silver coins issued during this
period were – One Rupee, Half Rupee, ¼ Rupee, Two Annas.
The Copper coins issued during this
period were – Half Anna, One quarter Anna, ½ Pice,
1/12 Anna
b)
Those issued in the period 1877 – 1901:
After Queen’s assumption of the title ‘Queen of Great
Britain and Empress of India’ on 1st January, 1877 , the legend on all coins issued during this period was “VICTORIA
EMPRESS” with a crowned bust.
Coin issued during this
period of reign of Empress Victoria
The Gold coins issued during this
period were – One Mohur, 10 Rupees, 5
Rupees
The Silver coins issued during this
period were – One Rupee, Half Rupee, ¼ Rupee,2 Annas.
The
Copper coins issued during this period were – Half Anna, One quarter Anna,½ Pice, 1/12 Anna
King Edward VII – (1901 to
1910 )
On the death of his mother Queen Victoria on 22nd
Jan 1901 , King Edward VII
ascended the throne. The Indian Coinage Act – 1906 was enacted during his
period. In 1906, the low denomination coins (1/12th Anna, ½ Pice and
1 Pice) were minted in Bronze in place of pure Copper. The minting of ½ Anna
coin in Copper was discontinued and a new 1 Anna coin in Cupro- Nickel was
introduced for the first time from 1907. He died on 6th May 1910 .
Coins issues during the
reign of King Edward VII (1901 – 1910):
No
Gold coin was issued during his period.
Silver
coins issued during his period were – One Rupee, Half Rupee, ¼ Rupee, Two Annas
The
Cupro- Nickel coin issued during his period was – 1 Anna
The Copper coins issued during his
period were – One quarter Anna, ½ Pice, 1/12 Anna
The
Bronze coins issued during his period were – One quarter Anna, ½ Pice, 1/12
Anna
King George V - (1910 to 1936 )
Ascended the throne after the death of his father
King Edward VII. A gold coin in the denomination of 15 Rupees was issued in
1918. Due to World War – I, the price of metals went up. So coins of lower
denomination silver coins ( 2 annas, ¼ rupee, Half Rupee) were minted in Cupro-
Nickel in place of silver, from 1919, as a trial. But the Cupro- Nickel version
of ¼ Rupee( 4 Annas) and half Rupee(8 Annas) were not accepted by general
public. So their silver counter parts were re-issued -- half Rupee silver from
1921 and ¼ Rupee silver from 1925. Again due to scarcity of Tin, on the last
year of his reign, the composition of Bronze alloy was changed to 95.5% Copper
+ 3% Tin + 1.5% Zinc (earlier it was – 95% Copper + 4% Tin + 1% Zinc). The King
died on 30th January, 1936 .
Coins issues during the
reign of King George V (1910 to 1936 ):
Gold
coin issued during his period is – 15
Rupees
Silver
coins issued during his period were – One Rupee, Half Rupee, ¼ Rupee, Two Annas
The
Cupro- Nickel coin issued during his period was – 1 Anna, 2 Annas, 4 Annas, 8
Annas
The
Bronze coins issued during his period were – One quarter Anna, ½ Pice, 1/12
Anna
King Edward VIII – (1936)
Ascended the throne on 20th Jan 1936 after the death of his father, King George V– But abdicated
the throne on 10th December 1936 , because of a rift with the British Parliament.
–
No coin was minted during his period
King George VI - (1936 to 1947)
Ascended the throne on 11th December
1936 after his brother King
Edward VIII abdicated the throne. Coins bearing his effigy were issued from
1938. Due to outbreak of World War II in 1939, price of all metal started
soaring. So the market value of the metallic content of most coins exceeded
their face value, thus leading to large scale speculative hoarding. To
discourage such hoarding, the minting of most of the low value bronze coins was
discontinued. The last ½ pice coin was minted in 1940, the last 1/12 anna coin
and ¼ anna coin were minted in 1942. From 1943, a new light weight washer type
ONE PICE coin was issued. Due to scarcity of Tin, this new coin was issued
using bronze with 97% Copper, 2.5% Zinc, 0.5% Tin.
During 1942 to 1945, a new ½ Anna coin was issued
using a cheaper alloy (Nickel- Brass) and 1 Anna and 2 Annas coins were also
re-issued in Nickel- Brass, in place of previous Cupro- Nickel issues.
As the price of silver rose very high, the silver
content of high value coins (¼ Rupee, Half Rupee and Rupee coins) was reduced
from 11/12 fineness to 50% fineness(Quaternary alloy). As minting of the high
value coins in Quaternary alloy was also found un-economical, during 1946-1947,
these coins were issued in Pure Nickel.
Finally
India got its Independence on 15th August 1947 and resulted the end of issue of British India coins.
Coins issued during the
reign of King George VI :
No
Gold coin issued during his period.
Silver
coins issued during his period were – One Rupee, Half Rupee, ¼ Rupee
Quaternary
Silver coins issued during his period were – One Rupee, Half Rupee, ¼ Rupee
Cupro
- Nickel coins issued during his period were – ½ Anna, 1 Anna, 2 Annas
Nickel
–Brass coins issued during his period were – ½ Anna, 1 Anna, 2 Annas
Nickel
coins issued during his period were – One Rupee, Half Rupee, ¼ Rupee
The Bronze coins issued during his
period were – One quarter Anna, 1 Pice(Washer type), ½ Pice, 1/12 Anna
Coining
metals / alloys used during British Period:
Gold – 11/12 fineness
Silver – 11/12 fineness
Quaternary Alloy – 50% Silver + 40% Copper + 5% Nickel + 5% Zinc
Cupro – Nickel Alloy – 75% Copper + 25% Nickel
Nickel – 100% Ni
Nickel – Brass Alloy – 79% Copper +20 % Zinc + 1% Nickel
Copper – 100% Copper (From 1835 to 1906)
Bronze – 95% Copper
+1% Zinc + 4% Tin (from 1906 to 1936),
changed to (95.5% Copper +1.5 % Zinc + 3% Tin) from 1936,
changed to (97% Copper +2.5 % Zinc + 0.5% Tin) from
1943
About
the different denominations issued during this period and their relationship
with the Rupee and other coins:
During
this period we find coins of the following denominations were issued.
1/12 Anna(Pie) – In BI coins,
it’s the smallest denomination issued.
Here 1 pie =
1/3rd of a pice= 1/12th of an ANNA = 1/192th of a Rupee
½ Pice – Half Pice = 1/128th of a Rupee = 1/8th
of an Anna = 1½ pie
¼ Anna(Pice) – 1 pice = 1/64th
of a Rupee = ¼th of an ANNA =
3 pies
Half Anna – ½ Anna = 2 pices = 6 pies = 1/32th of a
Rupee
Anna – 1 Anna = 4
pices = 12 pies = 1/16th of a Rupee
Two Annas – 2 Annas = 8 pices = 24 pies = 1/8th of
a Rupee
¼ Rupee(4 Annas ) – 16
pices = 48 pies = Quarter of a Rupee
Half Rupee(8 Annas) – 32 pices = 96 pies = ½ of a Rupee
One Rupee – 1 Rupee = 16 Annas = 64 pices = 192 pies
5 Rupees – 1/3rd of 1 Mohur
10 Rupees – 2/3rd of 1 Mohur
15 Rupees – 1 Mohur
Mohur – 1 Mohur = 15 rupees
Two Mohurs – Double Mohur =
30 rupees
Mints,
which minted BI coins :
Measurement
of weight during this Period :
1 grain Troy
180
grains = 1 Tola = 11.66 gms
360
grains = 2 Tola = 23.33 gms
90
grains = ½ Tola = 5.83 gms
45
grains = ¼ Tola = 2.92 gms
22.5
grains = 1/8 Tola = 1.46 gms
Measurement
of diameter/size of coins:
1” = 2.54 cms = 25.4 mm
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