E. Thurston — History of the East India Company Coinage. [No. 1, 
In August, 1831, the Calcutta Mint Committee submitted the 
Bengal following draft of a Regulation for legalising 
the circulation of the sub-divisions in the copper 
currency authorised to be coined by Government : — 
I. That, besides the copper pice now current, which shall remain 
unchanged, there shall be coined a copper half-anna piece, and a copper 
pie or twelfth of an anna ; 
II. The copper half anna pie shall weigh twice the weight of the 
present pice, or 200 grains troy, and shall bear on one face the legend 
Half anna in Persian, and Hagan, and on the other the same in 
English and Bangali. The exchangeable value of the coin shall be 
two for one anna, or one for two pice ; 
_ Tlie twelfth of an anna piece on one pie shall weigh troy 
grains 33 333, and shall bear on one face the legend “ One pai ” in Persian 
and Nagari, and the same on the other in English and Bangali. The 
exchangeable value of the coin shall be twelve for one anna or three 
for one pice. 
IY. These coins shall be current at the above rates in all the 
provinces under the Bengal Presidency. 
1833. In a letter from the Assay Master of the Calcutta mint 
Rupee coinage. Pl ' msc P) in April, 1833, some general 
information is given with reference to rupee 
coinage. “ It has ever,” he says, “ been the expressed desire of the 
Hon. Court of Directors to equalise the coin of the whole of the Indian 
possessions both in weight and standard. In this they have but 
followed the laudable practice of the Muhammadan Governments of 
India, which, while they arrogated to themselves the prerogative of 
coining, appear to have maintained with care and good faith the weight 
and purity of the circulating medium until the Empire was distracted 
with internal commotions, and the Viceroys of the Crown and tributary 
states assumed to themselves the control of the various mints, reserv- 
ing a mere nominal subjection to the sovereign in the legend im- 
pressed upon their coin. 
The silver rupee was introduced, according to Abul-fazl, by Sher 
Shah, who usurped the throne of Delhi from Humayun in 1542. It had 
a weight of^llj maslias, which, at the rate of 15i grains per masha, 
is equal to 174'4 grains of pure silver. This standard was adopted by 
Akbar, and accordingly we find coins of his reign weighing from 170 to 
174 grains. 
“ The Murshidabad rupee was adopted for the coinage of the 
Company’s subali of Bengal, and has accordingly remained unchanged 
as the present sikka rupee. 
