India 1840 to 1850 – Victoria Continuous Legend – Bombay Pattern Rupee

 

Victoria had acceded to the throne in 1837 but the Calcutta Mint was not able to start work on dies bearing the head of the new Queen until 1838, and even this work was superseded by the arrival of the obverse matrix die in April 1839 [1]. This die proved to be the wrong size and more work was required so that coins were not issued until 1840.

Meanwhile the Bombay Mint saw an opportunity to re-establish to some extent, their independence from Calcutta and produced a pattern for the new rupee coinage. The engraver of the die is not certainly known but may have been Jewram Shamji, who was employed at the mint as a die-cutter and also an engraver [2]. Five specimens were sent to Calcutta in February 1839 [3], but the design was rejected by the Governor General [4] who was awaiting dies from England.


[1] Bengal Consultations. IOR P/162/90, April 1839, No 8

Letter from Government to the Calcutta Mint Committee dated 3rd April 1839

I am directed by the Deputy Governor of Bengal to transmit to you the annexed copy of a letter from the Honble the Court of Directors dated the 4th January last with the matrix die for the rupee coinage prepared under the inspection of Mr Boulton of Birmingham.

You will be pleased to report by what time preparation can be made for coining with the device of this die in order that the necessary notice on the subject may be issued by the Government of India.

[2] Pridmore p10-11

[3] Bengal Consultations. IOR P/162/90, March 1839, No 28

Letter from Bombay Government to Calcutta Government dated 13th February 1839

With reference to my letter No 937 dated the 28th December last, I am directed by the Honble the Governor in Council to request that you will have the goodness to lay before the Honble the President in Council the enclosed copies of a letter from the Secretary to the Mint Committee at this Presidency, dated the 5th instant, and of its enclosures with the accompanying five specimens coins therein alluded to

[4] Bengal Consultations. IOR P/162/90, March 1839, No 28

Letter from Government of India to Government of Bombay dated 27th February 1839

I am directed to acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated the 13th instant with its enclosures and in reply to state that the execution of the Bombay dies though creditable to the native engravers does not quite satisfy the Honble the President in Council.

A design for the obverse of the new rupee similar to that forwarded from Bombay was prepared by the engraver of the Calcutta mint but the President in Council being desirous to avoid the appearance which had led to the new currency having obtained the name Sirkata or Sirturashe Rupee, directed another device to be prepared, copy of which is enclosed.

The President in Council having more recently learned through a private but authentic channel that the die promised by the Honble Court has been executed at Birmingham and is on its way out to India, intends to reserve the promulgation of a new device until receipt of that die and on that account has directed further measures for preparing the rupee dies in India to be suspended.