52 Notes on Indian Currencies. [no. 1, new serik, 
*' the years in which they were coined ; that is to say the impres- 
sion bore that they were struck in such a year of the reigning 
1773 AD " ^i^o of Delhi ; and after circulating 4 or 5 years 
*• they suffered a depreciation whether they had lost 
*• weight or not, being reckoned Sonat Rupees, that is. Rupees " of 
'* years." These with several other coins continued to circulate at 
" different rates of discount, and accounts were kept in a nominal 
coin called the current Rupee, which was probably taken at the 
" rate of 116 to the 100 Sicca Rupees to represent the average of 
" the currency actually in circulation. . The first step to reform, 
*' was a resolution that all Rupees coined in future should bear 
" the impression of the 19th year* of th^ reign of Shah Allum, 
" and so put an end to the arbitrary ^stinction previously made to 
1792— 3 A D " ^^^oi^^c^ o^ different years': and in 1792 — 3 A.D. 
" the Sicca Rupee was by the rules contained in Reg. 
" 35 of the Bengal code rendered the only legal silver currency 
for the provinces of Bengal, Baharand Orissa — The Sonat Rupee 
is still used in the military accounts and is considered equivalent 
to the Femickabad, Madras and Bombay Rupees. Since 
" 1793 all other Rupees but the Sicca Rupees have been receiv- 
" ed as bullion. The Sicca Rupees used to be receivable as of 
" full weight, if the deficiency did not exceed 6 Annas (y^^) in 
" 100 Rupees. Since 1818 the limit has been extended, a defici- 
*' ency of 2pice(, t^) or about 2 grains being allowed in each 
" coin. In the remoter districts and in the dealings of the poorer 
" classes, different rupees appear still to be in circulation, but the 
" mass of the currency is the Calcutta Sicca Rupee. In general 
" the state of the currency out of the Company's territory is very 
irregulM", each Sovereignty has its own Rupees and they vary 
" very considerably."' 
Further evidence was also given before the same Committee, 
that prior to 1S09 there were/owr Mints in the Bengal 
18«j9 AD 
territories, one at Calcutta, one at Benares, cne at 
Ferruckabad, and one at Delhi ; and there were three currencies,the 
Calcutta Sicca, the Benares, and the Ferruckabad Rupee, the last 
♦ About 1"" ' T' 
