1874 Bengal Famine Token

Item Description

British India, 1874 brass One Rupee Bihar Famine token, Calcutta mint (Prid 32). Obverse: 'FAMINE' above, '1874' below. Reverse: 'GRAIN TOKEN' above, 'ONE RUPEE' below. Weight: 4.96g. Diameter: 25.5mm. Grade: gVF.

This rare famine token is a key lot in our 23 April 2025 sale of Jewellery, Silver, Watches, and Coins.

1873-1874 Bihar Famine

This token was issued during the devastating Bengal Famine (also known as the Bihar Famine) of 1873 to 1874. The famine was triggered by a drought, resulting in crop shortages that threatened the lives of more than 20 million people in British India.

In response, the British colonial administration, led by Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal Sir Richard Temple, mounted an unusually extensive relief effort. Grain was imported from Burma, and food-for-work programs were established to support the affected population. The Bengal Famine proved less severe than initially thought, and generous aid averted a worse crisis.

However, some saw the millions spent on the 1873-74 Bihar Famine relief effort as excessive. This criticism led to a more conservative approach to famine relief policies during the Great Famine of 1876-78, which resulted in the deaths of approximately eight million people under British Crown rule.

1874 One Rupee Grain Tokens

Pridmore says that these tokens were struck at the Calcutta mint. They were supposedly issued by a famine relief society, but exactly which one is unclear. It has been suggested that they were used to ensure that rice was distributed fairly among the needy.

The piece is struck in brass with a large central hole, as issued.

One side of the token in our 23 April 2025 auction reads 'FAMINE' with the date - '1874' - below. The other side is inscribed 'GRAIN TOKEN' with 'ONE RUPEE' in a box below.

This rare 1874 token is to be offered as lot 533 in our 25 April 2023 sale with an estimate of £100 to £200.