India Paper Money, Bank of Bengal 1812-58 Issues,

**BANK OF BENGAL ISSUES, 1812-58**
P.S20 20 Sicca Rupees 1812-19	Images Needed
P.UNL(~S.24) 16 Sicca Rupees/1 Gold Mohur 10.7.1816	Calcutta Interest Bearing Issue
P.S25 500 Sicca Rupees 1815-20	Images Needed
P.S30 - P.S31 10 - 16 Sicca Rupees 1824-25	Images Needed
P.S32r 50 Sicca Rupees 182x	Calcutta Issue
P.33 100 Sicca Rupees 1824-29	Images Needed
P.S34S, J.3.3.5 250 Sicca Rupees 18xx	Calcutta Issue
P.S35 - P.S54 50 - 500 Sicca Rupees 1824-36	Images Needed
P.S55, J.3.6.6 100 Sicca Rupees 17.3.1833	No.01448
P.S55, J.3.6.6 100 Sicca Rupees 17.3.1833	No. 03404
P.S56 - P.S72 20 - 200 Sicca/Rupees 1834-52	Images Needed
P.S73, J.1.2.2 25 Rupees 185x	Bombay Issue
P.S74 50 Rupees 1852-53	Images Needed
P.S75S, J.1.2.2 50 Rupees 185x	Bombay Issue
P.S76 - P.S89 10 - 250 Rupees 1845-59	Images Needed
P.S90a, J.3.10.1 10 Rupees 31.8.1857	Calcutta Issue
P.S91a 25 Rupees 3.8.1857	Calcutta Issue
P.S92a, J.3.10.3 50 Rupees 19.10.1857	Calcutta Issue
P.S93a, J.3.10.4 100 Rupees 17.11.1857	Calcutta Issue
P.S94 - P.S95 500-1,000 Rupees 1857-58	Images Needed
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**BACKGROUNDER/ACKNOWLEDGEMENT**
We gratefully acknowledge Indian numismatist Musham Damodhar of Adarsh Stamps & Coins for providing the following background information on the history of the Bank of Bengal Please visit his website: http://www.philanumis.com/ where you will find a wide array of numismatic, philatelic and other unique material. This site also includes a very interesting history of playing cards, including the ancient Ganjifa Indian playing cards. Musham Damodhar also has a blog where you can find information about his son, who is one of the youngest accomplished stamp collectors in the world. Bank of Bengal was started as the Bank of Calcutta on 2 June 1806, with sixty lakhs of capital, issuing 500 shares of 10,000 Sicca Rupees. The name was changed to the Bank of Bengal on 2 June 1809 when it received its first Royal Charter incorporating as a joint stock company with 21 Indian shareholders. Along with the Bank of Bombay and the Bank of Madras, these three banks were known as Presidency banks. An 1812 issue of 20 Sicca Rupees has been reported but no images are known to have survived. The first confirmed banknote of the Bank of Bengal was issued in August 1816, a 1 Mohur, also called 16 Sicca Rupees. Unlike the coin of the realm, these notes paid a premium over face value while coins also required a 4% to 6% batta (a deduction for handling, checking purity and storing). These banknotes paid interest at the rate of 10-12% a year. The Bank of Bengal issued its own bank notes for a total value of one crore (ten million) Sicca Rupees. From 1833 the Bank of Bengal was authorized to make all civil and military payments in all Presidency towns and villages. The Banks fate took a negative turn when the Palmer and Coy Indigo company collapsed as a result of the House of Cockeral withdrawing its investments. This immediately devalued the banknotes followed by a run on its gold and silver reserves as well as a reduction of its copper reserves from the market. In 1861 the government passed the Paper Currency Act limiting the right of the issue of paper currency to the three Presidency banks. On 27 January 1921 the government amalgamated the three Presidency banks to form the Imperial Bank of India.