70 E. Thurston — History of the East India Company Coinage. [No. 1, 
In this Proclamation, which is dated 22nd August, 1807, it is 
stated that “ the Governor in Council has also deemed it expedient to 
issue a silver coinage of half and quarter pagodas of dollar fineness.” 
This Proclamation was repeated on 28th November, 1807, with the 
addition of a 2| cash piece as being also issued.” 
0-8-9 
0-4-4| 
C. Gold Coinage. 
“ The Governor in Council, having deemed it necessary to establish 
a new gold currency, has resolved to coin a gold pagoda of 22 carats 
fine, and a double pagoda of the same fineness, with English, Persian, 
Gentoo, and Malabar inscriptions.” 
In August, 1807, the mint master at Benares received a letter 
from Calcutta respecting a new copper coinage 
Benares. f or the province of Benares, which was to be 
prepared in the Calcutta mint. This coinage should, it was thought, 
consist of : — 
Number to a Calcutta sikka 
rupee. weight. 
Double pice ... 32 1-1-6 
Single „ ... - 64 
Half „ ... - - 128 
1809. By Regulation X, 1809, the Calcutta mint was directed to 
coin pice for the province of Benares, valued 
Benares. a t 64 per rupee. 
1810. In a letter dated 11th September, 1810, reference is made 
to “ London made copper coins at Fort St. 
Madras. Geoi’ge, of which there is stated to be 80,000 
pagodas in store, and which cannot be brought into circulation at that 
Presidency. We are of opinion that the 20 cash pieces might be circu- 
lated here at the value of one and a half of the Bengal pice, and that, 
in the present scarcity of copper, it would be advisable to send the 
whole of them to Bengal. 
1811. A letter dated 16th September, 1811, states that “ Govern- 
ment having been pleased to determine that 
no change shall be made in the local currency 
of the province of Benares, but that it shall be recognised as the legal 
currency of that portion of the Company’s territories, we entirely 
concur as to the expediency of placing the mint of that province under 
the immediate control of the Supreme Government, and of assimila- 
ting it in every respect to the mints of Calcutta and Farrukhabad, by 
which means the coin which may hereafter be struck in the Benares 
mint will be much improved in point of fabrication and appearance. 
Benares. 
