Bengal Public Consutations. IOR P/1/29, p7

10th January 1757

Agreed that we do establish a mint and coin sicca rupees with the name of the Moghul on one side and the Company on the other, to be of the same weight as Muxadvad rupees and to pass in the town for 2 p cent more

Bengal Public Consutations. IOR P/1/29, p106-7

28th April 1757

On the 24th we received a letter from W Watts  Esq dated the 18th instant…That he had the day before [17th April] received a perwannah for coining of siccas in Calcutta, but as it only mentions Allenagore he returned it, and hopes to get it altered  -that he is applying for a general perwannah for the currency of our trade in the three provinces…

[28th April] The Select Committee lay before the Board Perwannahs for coining siccas at Calcutta and for their currency thro’ the three provinces, which they have received from Mr Watts

Bengal Public Consutations. IOR P/1/29, p167

13th June 1757

The coiners and others for carrying on the mint business being arrived from Muxadavad the Board took into consideration the establishing of that priviledge upon a proper and beneficial foundation, but as it is utterly impossible for them to judge how it ought to be conducted for the advantage of our Honble Masters till the method of coining, assaying etc is ascertained and known, the Board are of opinion that a committee should be appointed to inspect into the fineness of silver proper for siccas, how much a hundred ounces of the different kinds of bullion produce and what the charge of coining will be. This, once known, we can with greater propriety establish the mint under proper regulations.

Agreed the President, Mr Frankland and Mr Boddam be appointed to inspect into the forementioned particulars and report them to the Board as soon as possible

Bengal Public Consutations. IOR P/1/29, p199

4th July 1757

The Committee appointed for coining of siccas inform the Board a sum of 4000 R has been coined from new Mexico Dollars and that as soon as they have coined two or three other kinds of bullion they will deliver in the Acc’t

Bengal Public Consutations. IOR P/1/29, p230

21st July 1757

They likewise lay before the Board the translate of a sunnud obtained of the Nabob for currency of our business and money

Bengal Public Consutations. IOR P/1/29, p239

25th July 1757

It being necessary to adjust the batta of siccas in order to pass those we have received from Muxadavad

Agreed the underwritten battas continue till the 1st of Nov next as is hereunder specified

The first sun siccas     at six (6) Arcot rupees p cent

The second ditto         at eight and half (8 1/2) p cent

The third     ditta          at eleven (11) per cent

Bengal Public Consutations. IOR P/1/29, p261

8th August 1757

The Committee appointed for essaying the coinage of the different sortments of bullion lay before the Board 50 rupees coined from Dollar silver agreeable to the Perwannah received from Jaffir Ally Cawn

Ordered them to be transferred to Muxadavad for a trial, and agreed our mint be established on the same footing as that at Madrass

Bengal Public Consutations. IOR P/1/29, p330

26th September 1757

The Committee for essaying and reporting the produce of the different species of bullion in our mint lay before the Board the following essays which they have chosen from a medium of different trials viz:

 

Dacca, Patna & Rajimaul Rupees lose 4.4.3 in every 100 sicca weight to make them of the same value weight and standard as Muxadavad siccas

Muxadavad sonnauts fooley lose 1.10.6

Without the fooley                      5.9

New Mexico Dollars produce 89.12 for 100 sicca weight of bullion

Persia rupees produce 96.9.9 for 100 sic wt

 

They further represent that the charge for coining siccas is greater than the charge of coining Arcot and Madrass, the standard being finer, and recommend the expense of coining private silver be settled at 25 per mille, 20 of which being the real charge of coinage and 15 the duty agreeable to the Madrass collection, 5 whereof is to be paid the Company by the Mint Master or undertakers.

The Board approving of the above mentioned establishment

Ordered all private silver pay a duty of 35 per mille for being coined in our mint and

Agreed that Messrs Frankland and Boddam undertake the coining of siccas and mohurs

Bengal Public Consutations. IOR P/1/29, p331

26th September 1757

Ordered them likewise to send 3050 Calcutta siccas to Cossimbuzar to be presented the Nabob and others and 5 Calcutta siccas to England

Ordered them likewise to supply the mint with 35000 sunnaut rupees and 805 Persia rupees to be recoined

Bengal Public Consutations. IOR P/1/29, p339

3rd  October 1757

Ordered them likewise to supply the mint with 50,000 sunnaut rupees

Bengal Public Consutations. IOR P/1/29, p383

24th October 1757

The gold received from the Nabob being reasonably valued and will, it is imagined, turn out to advantage in the mint

Ordered the Committee of Treasury to deliver it out to the Mint Master as they indent for it to be coined into Fooley Mohurs

Bengal Public Consutations. IOR P/1/29, p384

24th October 1757

The Committee of works represent to the Board that it will be extremely troublesome and inconvenient to pay the cowleys, labourers and bricklayers, to be employed on the fortifications, in cowries. They recommend therefore that copper , brass or tutenague tickets may be stampt of different values for the payment of those people, which shall be taken back at the value stamp’d on the respective tickets.

Ordered: Mr Frankland to stamp a number of such tickets.

Bengal Public Consutations. IOR P/1/30, p9-10

Translation of a Sunnud under the seal of Jaffer Ally Cawn, 15th July 1757

… A mint is established in Calcutta, coin siccas and gold mohurs of equal weight and fineness with the siccas and gold mohurs of Muxadavad they shall pass in the King’s treasury…

Bengal Public Consutations. IOR P/1/30, p30-77

Treasury accounts for October, November, December 1757

Many entries showing large transactions with the mint

Bengal Public Consutations. IOR P/1/30, p266

Mint account for December 1757, Jan & Feb 1758

Dec 220,275; Jan 101,337; Feb 243,890. Submitted by Frankland (Mint Master)

Bengal Public Consutations. IOR P/1/30, p205

22nd June 1758

Frankland resigns

Bengal Public Consutations. IOR P/1/30, p232

6th July 1758

There being a large quantity of gold mohurs in the treasury which were coined in our mint with the gold received from the Nabob and being informed they bear an [advanced] price at Ballasore

Agreed: one hundered of them be sent to that factory for a tryal

Bengal Public Consutations. IOR P/1/30, p245

20th July 1758

Frankland provides mint accounts for April & May and is still described as Mint Master.

Bengal Public Consutations. IOR P/1/30, p389

At a Committee meeting called to decide what to do about the letter from the Board in London, not clearly dated but about 27th November 1758

We are of opinion that the orders and regulations relative to the mint be carried into execution as they stand in the letter from the 124th to the 128th paragraphs inclusive, without any variation but recommend that the strongest obligation with a penalty annex’d being taken from the contractor that he shall not debase the coin and that he likewise agree to send some of the coinage through the Board monthly to the mint at Muxadavad to be assayed there.

Bengal Public Consutations. IOR P/1/31, Nothing found (1759)

A few references to mint accounts being refered to the Accounts Committee

Bengal Public Consutations. IOR P/1/32, p45. December 1759

Accounts show William Frankland still Mint Master

Bengal Public Consutations. IOR P/1/32, p133. March 1760

Accounts show William Frankland paid Rs 84.7.2 for 3 months 5 days

Bengal Public Consutations. IOR P/1/32, p263. 9th June 1760

Notice to be given that after the 23rd inst. Five sun siccas will be rec’d into the Company’s treasury at 13 p cent batta only and that six sun siccas will be struck & pass current from that day

Bengal Public Consutations. IOR P/1/32, p541. 29th September 1760

Salary accounts show William Frankland has gone

Bengal Public Consutations. IOR P/1/32, p712. 25th November 1760

Agreed that at every fresh issuing of rupees the siccas of the former year be restamped at the charge of 6 p cent for coinage and Company’s duty to the proprietor at whose expense the siccas are to be made to their full weight should they be deficient.

And as we find that notwithstanding our frequent application to the Nabob concerning the want of currency of our rupees in the country from whence many inconveniencies proceed such as their being frequently refused for goods, the risk of carrying them from place to place to be exchanged (by which a boat passing from Malda to Murshudabad with 4000 Calcutta siccas for that purpose was lost in the Great River) & the loss in exchange. Those evils have never been remedy’d, the only means to effect it is to gain the Nabob’s consent to our coining Muxadabad siccas in our mint in the same [way] as Arcot rupees are coined at Madras. Agreed therefore that the President endeavour to prevail on the Nabob to give his consent to our coining Murshudabad siccas in out mint.

And as the want of Arcot rupees in the place has raised their value to 3 p cent above the usual currency & that specie is very useful for many occasions of the Presidency.

Agreed we coin Arcot rupees of equal weight & fineness with those of Fort St George.

Bengal Public Consutations. IOR P/1/32, p715.

Translation of the Nabob’s Pervannah for a mint in Calcutta

To the Noblest of Merchants, the English Company, be the Royal Favour. In Calcutta a mint is established. You shall coin gold & silver of equal weight and fineness with the Ashrefees & Rupees of Murshidabad in the name of Calcutta. In the subahs of Bengala, Bahar & Orissa, they shall be current & they shall pass in the Royal Treasury. And no person shall demand or insist on a discount upon them.

Dated the 11th of the month [Zeehaad] in the 4th year

Bengal Public Consutations. IOR P/1/32, p846. 31st December 1760

The President acquaints the Board he has at last after much solicitation prevailed upon the Nabob to consent to our coining Murshudabad siccas in our mint.

Agreed we now establish the mint on the footing directed by the Honble Company in their commands of 3rd March 1758, that the dollars be valued at the rate mentioned in the letter of 1st April, but as the bullion of this country is of no stated fineness arising from the prodigious variety of coins in the country which are after melted in a heap & offered to be coined, it is impossible to determine on that.

That the mint be put up for contract on the same fooring as that at Madras, that is, the contractor shall bear all the charges of the mint, except the house and repairs for which he shall receive a certain allowance per cent. & whoever offers for the smallest allowance, giving sufficient security, shall have the contract.

The contractor, there being [no] refin’d standard of bullion in this country, shall deliver the exact produce of the gold & silver given in to be coined according to its value by assay, which we shall effect in the best manner we can for the present.

Agreed in the meantime we recommend it to the Company to send us out a capable Assay Master by the first opportunity.

Ordered the Mint Master to prepare stamps for coining the Muxadabad rupees.

Bengal Public Consutations. IOR P/1/34, p23. 21st January 1762

Three sun siccas having been struck at Murshedabad agreeable to the notice before given us by the Nabob as per Consultation December.

Agreed that three sun siccars be issued in out mint and become current the 20th of next month. That advertisement be made thereof, and that two suns will be reduced to thirteen per cent and all others to sonauts.

Agreed that the Committee of Treasury be directed to deliver to the Mint Master all the two sun siccars to be restamped into three suns and that the Mint Master be directed to get as many struck as possible against the 20th February.

Agreed we write to the several subordinates to acquaint them thereof.

Bengal Public Consutations. IOR P/1/34, p143/220. 1st March 1762

The Mint Master representing there is a vast quantity of money delivered to himfrom the Treasury to be recoined in order to prevent the loss of batta, which it is not in his power to get dome while private merchants send in money daily to be recoined also.

Ordered him to defer coining for the private traders till he has finished the whole of the Company’s money delivered him from the treasury to be recoined.

Bengal Public Consutations. IOR P/1/34, p152/238. 4th March 1762

The Mint Master sends in the following report of the German Crowns viz

 

Crowns marked KB

100 ounces produces sicca rupees                      235.1.6

Batta at 16 per cent                                           37.9.9

                                                                        272.11.3

Deduct ½ per cent for coinage and duties             12.4.3               260.7.

 

Crowns with the arms of Hungary

100 Ounces produce sicca rupees                       224.9.6

Batta 16 per cent                                               36.15

                                                                        260.8.6

Deduct for coinage and duties as above               11.11.6             248.13

Bengal Public Consutations. IOR P/1/34, p408. 26th April 1762

The mint Master sends in his report of assays on the 6 sun Arcots from Madras compared with the 6 sun Arcots from Calcutta. Mint Master pro tem name looks like Natts

Bengal Public Consutations. IOR P/1/34, p422. 10th May 1762

The Mint Master acquainting the Board that the chief part of the Company’s money is now coined

Agreed the mint be opened to the coining of private silver and refining rupees, but that no less than 10,000 rupees be received in at a time to be restruck.

Ordered the Mint Master to purchase whatever bullion he can to be coined into Arcot rupees for the payment of the troops.

 

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