1870 - 1892 - Ceylon
Queen Victoria - Five Cent

A definitive decimal currency Five cent copper coin established by an Order in Council dated 1869 June 18th. Declared legal tender in Ceylon 1872 January 1st with limit of tender 5 Rupees. These large five cents piece had been found inconvenient and cumbersome and were demonetized by Order in Council dated 1909 October 18th with effect from 1910 July 1st.

SPECIFICATIONS
DenominationFive cents
AlloyCopper
Diameter34.0 mm
Thickness mm
Weight18.90 gms
ShapeRound
EdgePlain
DieAxisO°
 Victoria_05c_obverse Victoria_05c_reverse
KM #93

Obverse : Young Head of Victoria to left wearing a coronet ornamented with scrolls. A fret border on left and right, broken by the legend VICTORIA QUEEN, within dot circle along periphery with raised rim. Initials of Mint C.Mint in relief on the truncation of the neck.
Reverse : A Talipot palm in the center with සත පහ in Sinhala on left, ௫சதம் in Thamil on right, within inner circle. • CEYLON • FIVE • CENTS • above, and year below in annulus within dot circle along periphery with raised rim.

Pridmore Year Alloy Issue Mint ProofSilverGold
179 1870 Cu 7,009,000 Calcutta 179A 179B
180 1890 Cu 1,001,000 Calcutta 180A
  1891 Cu None Calcutta 181 181A 181B
182 1892 Cu 1,000,000 Calcutta 182A 182B
  1898 Cu None ? 183

The weight is based on the old English copper penny.

The Dick Ford collection (in Taisei-Baldwin-Gillio Auctions #19 Ceylon 1995 February 23. Singapore lot#198) notes that Pridmore 183 (Proof 1898) does not exist.

The coin was scaned at 300dpi and the images are displayed at 200dpi.