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The first Calcutta Mint was established in
1759-60 whose site is not known. At that time Calcutta Mint
was producing coins with mint-name Murshidabad. In 1790 with
the modern machinery brought from England, the second Calcutta
Mint established at the site of Gillet Ship building
Establishment which was taken over by the Stamp and Stationary
Committee in 1833. All the coins issued from this mint are in
the name of Murshidabad Mint and all bearing same year AH
1204. On March' 1824 the foundation of 3rd Calcutta Mint was
laid on the Strand Road and was opened for production from 1st
August' 1829. Before 1835 all the coins issued from this mint
are also in the name of Murshidabad Mint. The building of 3rd
Mint with its imposing frontage was designed on the replica of
the temple of Minerva of Athens. The operative blocks were
hidden out of view by the magnificent frontage. Recently,
Kolkata Municipal Corporation has declared this building as a
symbol of heritage.
This mint was named
as "Silver Mint". At the starting time the coinage production
capacity was varying between 3 lakhs to 6 lakhs pieces per
day. In 1860 annexe known as "Copper Mint" was built to the
north of the Silver Mint intended exclusively for copper
coinage. Both Silver Mint and Copper Mint used to
function side by side and production were Bronze, Silver
and Gold coins. Both Silver MInt and Copper Mint were well
equiped by the coining presses supplied by Boulton and Watt of
Soha, Birmingham, England. Apart from minting of coins another
important function of the Kolkata Mint was the manufacturing
of Medals and decorations during Bitish regime, which is still
continuing, In addition to home consumption of coinage,
Calcutta Mint produced coins for countries and estates within
and outside India.
In the late 1930's
it was decided to build a new Mint at Alipore and the
foundation work had been completed by early 1942. But due to
2nd World War the construction was interrupted. Later on when
the Free India was a child of 5 years, Alipore Mint was opened
by the Hon'ble Finance Minister of Government of India Shree
C.D. Deshmukh on the 19th March, 1952. The full operation for
the coinage and preparation of medals, decorations and badges
started in Alipore Mint from this date.
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