1598 - 1621 - Portuguese Ceilão
Silver - GridIron Tanga

The undated silver Tanga with Coat of arms of Portugal and Gridiron of Saint Laurence monogram struck in Colombo, fort São Lourenço for circulation in Ceilão, with no mint initials, during the reign of D. Filippe II (1598-1621).

SPECIFICATIONS
DenominationTanga
AlloySilver
TypeStruck
Diameter15.1 mm
Thickness1.7 mm
Weight mean2.62 gms
Weight2.37 gms
ShapeRound
EdgeSmooth
DieAxis180°
MintColombo
 GI_F2_tanga_ag_obverse GI_F2_tanga_ag_reverse
Codrington #113; Gomes ; F.Vas F2.16; KM #8
Obverse : Crowned Coat of arms of Portugal within circle of dots inside raised rim. Details of arms represented also by dots.
Reverse : Gridiron of Saint Laurence monogram within two circles of dots with a plain circle between them.

Codrington (VIII-22:a,p.100) lists it among undated silver coins of the GridIron type with crowned Coat of arms. Although 10% lighter than average weight given in F.Vas, Codrington only lists coins with weight 2.14 to 2.38 grams

This undated gridiron type Tangas followed a small issue of undated Tangas bearing TA monogram and were succeeded by by dated issues commencing 1631.

Text from
* Ceylon Coins and Currency By H. W. Codrington. Colombo 1924
  Chapter VIII Portuguese - Plate V. P.100
* Moedas Portuguesas 1128-1988, by Alberto Gomes. Lisbon 1987
* Indo Portuguese Money, by J Ferraro Vaz, . Braga, Portugal 1980 p.130
* Collection Henry Thomas Grogan, J. Schulman, Auction 23-02-1914.
* Non-Islamic and Western Colonies since 600 AD by by Michael Mitchiner.

The XF grade coin was scaned at 600 dpi and images are displayed at 500 dpi. The coin is from part of Lalith Raddella's collection purchased in 2016 December.