1871 August 23, Proclamation
on Decimal Currency in Ceylon

VICTORIA, by the Grace of GOD, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Queen, Defender of the Faith.

PROCLAMATION.
By His Excellency SIR HERCULES GEORGE ROBERT ROBINSON,
Knight Commander of the Most Distinguished Order
of Saint Michael and Saint George,
Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over the Island of Ceylon,
with the Dependencies thereof.

HERCULES ROBINSON.

WHEREAS by the Proclamation annexed to Her Majesty's Order in Council dated the 18th day of June, 1869, it is ordained and declared that from and after a day to be fixed by the Governor or Officer Administering the Government of Ceylon, by Proclamation, and subject to further directions to be given by Proclamation of the Governor, the British and local copper or bronze coins or tokens at present m circulation in Her Majesty's Colony of Ceylon and its Dependencies, and such other copper or bronze tokens as may from time to time be specified by the Governor by Proclamation, shall be a legal tender of payment for any sum not exceeding half a Rupee; the said British and local coins to continue current until the date of such Proclamation, at the same rates, as regards the Rupee, as those at which they at present pass by long-established usage and custom, viz. :

The Penny at the rate of ⅔^rds of an Anna, or 8 Pie.
The Half-penny at the rate of ⅓^rd of an Anna, or 4 Pie.
The Farthing at the rate of ⅙^th of an Anna, or 2 Pie.
The Ceylon Fanam at the rate of 1 Anna. or 12 Pie.
The Ceylon Stiver or Pice at the rate of ¼^th of an Anna, or 3 Pie.
The Ceylon Challie at the rate of 1/12^th of an Anna, or 1 Pie.

And whereas it is expedient and desirable to establish certain other copper or bronze coins or tokens, representing certain decimal parts of a. Rupee, as a legal tender for payment for any sum not exceeding half a.Rupee.

And whereas there will shortly be issued by the Government of Ceylon,. copper or bronze coins or tokens, as follows :

A copper or bronze five-cent piece, representing one-twentieth part of a Rupee.

A copper or bronze one-cent piece, representing one-hundredth part of a Rupee.

A copper or bronze half-cent piece, representing one two-hundredth part of a Rupee.

A copper or bronze quarter-cent piece, representing one four-hundredth part of a Rupee.

And every such piece shall have for the obverse impression the effigy of Her Majesty, with the inscription" Victoria, Queen," and for the reverse impression the representation of a Talipot Palm and an inscription indicating the value of the piece in cents of a Rupee, with the word" Ceylon, and the date of the year, and words indicating the value in Sinhalese and Tamil:

Now, therefore, We, the said Governor, in pursuance and exercise of the authority vested in Us by the aforesaid Proclamation, do hereby pro. claim and direct that the said copper or bronze coins or tokens so to be issued as aforesaid, shall from and after the First day of January, 1872, be lawfully current, and shall pass and be received as current and lawful tokens and payment within the Island of Ceylon and the Dependencies thereof, at and for the rates and values indicated thereon, and at no other rates or values. Provided, however, that no person shall be required to receive more than one half-Rupee in copper or bronze coins or tokens at one time.

And We do hereby further proclaim and direct, that until further lawful proclamation and direction to the contrary, the British and local copper or bronze coins or tokens now current in this Colony shall continue (subject t.o what is herein provided and directed) to pass and be received as current and lawful tokens and legal tender for payment, at the rates and values following, that is to say :

The Penny at the rate of 1/24^th of a Rupee.
The Half-penny at the rate of 1/48^th of a Rupee.
The Farthing at the rate of 1/96^th of a Rupee.
The Ceylon Fanam at the rate of 1/16^th of a Rupee.
The Ceylon Stiver or Pice at the rate of 1/64^th of a Rupee.
The Ceylon Challie at the rate of 1/192^nd of a Rupee.

Given at Colombo, in the said Island of Ceylon, this Twenty-third day of August, in the year of Our Lord One thousand Eight hundred and Seventy-one.

By His Excellency's command,
CHARLES P. LAYARD,
Acting Colonial Secretary.

GOD SAVE THE QUEEN
((The Ceylon Government Gazette No. 3,836 of August 26, 1871.)

Extracted and formatted from

Ceylon Currency British Period 1796-1936 By B. W. Fernando, APPENDIX D.
1939, Ceylon Government Press p.42-43
Contents Next APPENDIX E.

The Penny at the rate of	⅔^rds of an Anna, or	8 Pie.
The Half-penny at the rate of	⅓^rd of an Anna, or	4 Pie.
The Farthing at the rate of	⅙^th of an Anna, or	2 Pie.
The Ceylon Fanam at the rate of	1 Anna. or	12 Pie.
The Ceylon Stiver or Pice at the rate of	¼^th of an Anna, or	3 Pie.
The Ceylon Challie at the rate of	1/12^th of an Anna, or	1 Pie.

The Penny at the rate of	1/24^th of a Rupee.
The Half-penny at the rate of	1/48^th of a Rupee.
The Farthing at the rate of	1/96^th of a Rupee.
The Ceylon Fanam at the rate of	1/16^th of a Rupee.
The Ceylon Stiver or Pice at the rate of	1/64^th of a Rupee.
The Ceylon Challie at the rate of	1/192^nd of a Rupee.

1871 August 23, Proclamationon Decimal Currency in Ceylon

Part of coins.lakdiva.org.lk a website for Coins of Lakdiva, Ceylon and Sri Lanka since 300 BCE.

1871 August 23, Proclamation
on Decimal Currency in Ceylon

Part of coins.lakdiva.org.lk a website for
Coins of Lakdiva, Ceylon and Sri Lanka since 300 BCE.