Information about Company Mark: East India Company VEIC Mark

When the East India Company was chartered by Elizabeth I, Queen of England in 1600 it was still customary for each merchant or Company of Merchant Adventurers to have a distinguishing mark which included the mystical "Sign of Four" and served as a trademark. The East India Company's mark was made up from the initials EIC within a heart shape, crested with a 4. This was later changed to VEIC (from Vnited East India Company - United being spelled with V for U, in Latin), with the letters within a saltire (diagonal cross).

The mark was the central motif of the East India Company's coinage issued in India.