In 1863 the Royal Mint produced trial pieces for a proposed British Indian cash coinage, exploring whether London could supply low-denomination copper currency for Indian bazaar trade. The project never advanced to circulation — the existing network of local princely and presidency mints, along with established indigenous coinage, made a centrally struck cash impractical to introduce at scale.
Two pattern references survive under KM#Pn67 and Pn68, suggesting at least minor die or specification variation between pieces.
In 1863 the Royal Mint produced trial pieces for a proposed British Indian cash coinage, exploring whether London could supply low-denomination copper currency for Indian bazaar trade. The project never advanced to circulation — the existing network of local princely and presidency mints, along with established indigenous coinage, made a centrally struck cash impractical to introduce at scale.
Two pattern references survive under KM#Pn67 and Pn68, suggesting at least minor die or specification variation between pieces.