East India Company, William IV, Silver Rupee of Calcutta Mint

One rupee to unify the British currency. In 1834, the East India Company’s government passed the ‘Uniform Coinage Act’, to establish a single rupee currency across the three Presidencies of Bengal, Bombay and Madras. Accordingly, a machine-struck milled silver rupee was launched in 1835 from the Bombay and Calcutta mints. The design was based on initial sketches and patterns produced by James Prinsep and Kasinath Dass. The bust of king William IV was originally engraved by William Wyon from a sculpture by Sir Francis Chantrey.