56 E. Thurston — History of the East India Company Coinage. [No. 1, 
eordingly, committed to the care of Mirza Hasan, who engaged to 
restore the rupees to their proper weight and standard. A Delhi rupee 
of the 18th year of Muhammad Shah was sent as a sample for the new 
coinage. This rupee was 22 chauwals fine, hut, being worn, had lost 2 
chauwals. in weight. The new rupees were, in consequence, 2 chauwals 
deficient, and from that time the Benares rupees continued at 9m. 6r. 
6 ch., being 2 chauwals less than the original weight of 9m. 7r. In the 
9th year the mint was farmed to Monsieur Gentille, the French Agent 
at Shuja’ud-daulali’s court, and the same assay (22 chauwals) was con- 
tinued until the 15th year (1774). A considerable portion of the rupees 
issued in the 16th year contained only 5| oz. of silver, to 10| oz. of 
copper. 
In the 17th year of the reign of Shah ’A'lam (1776) the mint 
was transferred by the Company to Chait Singh, who engaged to coin 
rupees of 9m. 9r. 6 ch., weight and 18 chauwals fine, and to continue 
the die of the 17th san, in order to put an end to the confusion in the 
currency occasioned by the constant alteration of the value of the coin. 
“ All rupees, therefore,” the Records state, “ coined in the Benares 
mint since the 17th year of the present reign, ought to he of the same 
weight and standard, and to pass current as sikkas* of the present 
year. The rupees current in the district of Benares may, therefore, 
be classed as sanwat and sikka, the former coined under the Mughal 
Princes, and the latter since the 17th year of the reign of Shah ’A'lam, 
when the mint was ceded to the Company by the Vizier, and by them 
transferred to Chait Singh.” 
The following table gives information as to the assays, weights, 
and names of the rupees coined at the Benares mint from its establish- 
ment to 1782 : — 
* Previous to the time of Parrukksiyar all rupees coined under the reigning 
king were considered as sikkas, and passed at their original value during his life. 
At the accession of a new king, the rupees of the former reign were subject to a 
batta, and were not received into the royal treasury. 
