Coins In Lucknow Mus. Vol 01 [56 MB - IndianCoins.org

31make use of after the first trial, is to take muster of their moneysin their presence, to assay after it is fiuished, to let them see Ihave a watchful eye over them." What I have already said, with the present flourishing stateof the mint, will I humbly hope induce my Honorable Masters tobelieve that I have not been any way negligent in my dutyhitherto, and shall take my utmost care that they have no cause ofcomplaint in future."lam," Honorable Sir and Sirs," Your most obedient and humble Servant," SIDNEY FOXALL"Writing in 1794 concerning the method employed in comingmoney at the Bombay Mint at that time Lieutenant Moor lsays" : Tippoo, from his coins being regularly stricken and milled, musthave a regular die, which is an apparatus unknown in other partsof India. In Bombay there is no mechanical process either forascertaining the value of the piece, or of giving it the impression.The manner is as follows : the metal is brought to themint in bars the size of the little finger, where a number of personsseated on the ground provided with scales and weights, a hammer,and an instrument between a chissel and a :punch before eachof anvil. The bars are cutman's birth is fixed a stone by wayinto pieces, by guess, and if, on weighing, any deficiency isfound, a little particle is punched into the intended rupee ; if tooheavy, a piece is cut off, and so until the exact quantity remains.These pieces are then taken to a second person, whose wholeapparatus consists of a hammer and a stone anvil, and he battersthem into something of a round shape, about seven- eighths of aninch diameter, and one-eighth thick ;when they are ready for theimpression. The die iscomposed of two pieces, one insertedfirmly into the ground, the other, about eight inches long, is heldin the right hand of the operator, who squatting on his heels (theposture in which all mechanics and artists work the; posture, indeed,in which every thingis done in India, for if a man has adram given him, he finds it convenient to squat upon his heels todrink it),fills his left hand with the intended coins, which hewith inconceivable quickness slips upon the fixed die with histhumb and middle finger, with his forefinger as dexterously removingthem when his assistant, a second man with a mall, hasgiven it the impression, which he does as rapidly as he can raise,and strike with the mall on the die held in the right hand of thecoiner. The diameter of the die is about an inch and a half, inscribedwith the Great Moghul's names, titles, date of the Hejra,his reign, &c., but as the coins are not so large, they do not,consequently, receive all, nor the same impression. The rupeeisthen sent to the treasury, ready for currency, as no milling, or anyfarther process isthought necessary."In 1742 a grant of liberty to coin Arcot rupees was given tothe Company, and the followingis a translation of a Sunnud under1Narrative of Little'a Detachment, App. note ii, pp. 499, 500.