Bengal Presidency Coins
The largest colonial subdivision of the British government in India, the Bengal Presidency was also the capital of all British territories of Asia. Its capital was Calcutta, now called as Kolkata. At its pinnacle, the presidency ranged from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan to Singapore, Burma and Penang in the east. The world’s sixth railway network was built here in the year, 1905.
In 1698, The British acquired land and established the Fort William there in 1716 AD. It was used as a trading post. Bengal Presidency became independent and coins were minted at Calcutta. The early coinage was struck in the names of Mughal Emperor Alamgir II, and later Shah Alam II.
The Calcutta mint started to mint Murshidabad rupees at the very end of 1760 or, early in 1761. Later an agreement was reached to produce coins in the name of Shah Alam II.
Some of the Bengal Presidency coins carried secret marks i.e., three extra dots which signified regnal years.