Travels in India (Tavernier) 6.1.7

6.1.7

I now come to the coins which are current in India throughout the territories of the Great Mogul, and to all the kinds of gold and silver, which should be carried in ingots, rather than in coin, in order to secure most profit there. In the first place it should be remarked that it is advantageous to purchase gold or silver which has been worked, in order to make it into ingots, and to cause it to be refined up to the highest standard; for, being refined, you do not pay for the carriage of the alloy which was mixed with it before, and not carrying the gold or silver in coin, you do not pay what the prince and the mint have taken for their coinage dues.