After the coronation, the British made a trade agreement with the Maharaj. The last clause was that British coins should be used in the Marathi state. Chhatrapati opposed this clause with following statement –
‘इंग्रज आमच्या राज्यात त्यांच्या नाण्याचा वापर चलनासाठी/देवघेवीसाठी करू इच्छितात. कोणतेच सार्वभौम राज्य हे मान्य करणार नाही. आमच्या राज्यात आमचेच नाणे असले पाहिजे.’
Translation :
“The British want to use their coin for currency/exchange/business/monetary transaction in our state. No sovereign state will accept this. Our state should have our own currency.’
Thus, Chhatrapati had decided even before his coronation that independent coin age should be a part of Swarajya.
During Shiva’s time, business transactions were done in Moghal states in rupees, anas, and mohra coins. Also, in Adilshahi and Swarajya, transactions were carried out in coins such as Hon and its smaller parts, Sajgaani Khurda means Rooks and their multiples. Laari, Sajgaani, Ashrafa or Asharfi coins were specially promoted in Konkan. Sajgaani was a light currency. Asharfi was a coin worth half a rupee. The transactions of the English and Portuguese people were done in the coin they minted. Since all the coins are not of the same quality, the financial transactions of that time were done by determining the difference between the face value and the real value of the coins. The market price of coins used to be determined by Saraf.
At that time, agriculture was mainly seen as a profession. But at the same time wool, yarn, weaving, handicrafts, industries, trade, factories, manufacture of liquor, pottery, construction etc. Labour, porter, slave trade, animal trade and some other trades were carried on at that time. Many foreign powers like British, Potrigis etc. came to do business in Swarajya. Therefore, the Bhumiputras here used to have business relations with them.
or goto Part I, Part II, Part III
