Victorian era coins recovered from Bengal's Raiganj

200-year-old coins with Queen Victoria's emblem, picture and name were recovered from Raiganj by construction workers while digging during the construction of a bridge.

Raiganj:On Friday, a number of coins bearing Queen Victoria's emblem and believed to have been minted around 200 years ago were discovered in the Bindol area of Raiganj block.

The coins were found during the digging of the soil for the construction of a bridge and the police have initiated an investigation into the matter. The district administration and archaeology department have also been notified.

The coins were uncovered when workers were sprinkling water on a patch of soil in the nearby Palpara area using a pump. While sprinkling water, suddenly a jar was discovered beneath the soil. As the jar was hit by the pump, the earthen pot broke causing the coins to scatter. The discovery generated excitement in the area, with many people coming to see the ancient coins. Some children even collected a few of them.

The locals have claimed that all the coins were made of silver and some bore Queen Victoria's emblem while others had her picture and name. The coins are believed to have been minted between 1862 and 1916, during Queen Victoria's reign.

Queen became the monarch in 1837 and her rule coincided with the significant event of the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857. Following the mutiny, the British government took direct control of India from the East India Company and Queen Victoria was given the title of 'Empress of India' in 1877 through the Royal Titles Act. Coins were issued by the British government during this golden age of her reign, and it is thought that the recovered coins may belong to that era.