1658 - 1796 - Ceilon
Dutch Colonial Period

The Dutch occupied the Portuguese fortresses of Ceilao daring the years 1638 to 1658. The Dutch dated their occupation of Ceilon from 1658 when Jaffna was occupied but, like the Portuguese, they never occupied the interior where the Kings of Kandy continued to retain suzerainty.

In 1655 the Dutch commenced authorizing local currency by counter-stamping the Company monogram and appropriate mint initial on current Portuguese tangas. Dutch counter marks were also impressed on other current silver coin, among which Sefavid abbasi are noteworthy. Counter marks were applied in the settlement at Galle from 1655 and thereafter at Colombo and lastly, in 1658, at Jaffna. An "R" countermark of uncertain attribution was also used. Not long after this time the Dutch began striking anonymous un-dated copper coins bearing their value within a wreath on obverse and reverse. These were struck at Colombo and Jaffna (1660-1720).

At a later period dated issues from the various Dutch factories were authorized in 1783. During the intervening period, (1720-1783), local currency needs appear to have been supplied primarily by importation; the importation of Dutch 'VOC' copper doits struck at various provinces in the Netherlands for export to their eastern possessions and the importation of Dutch silver coins both the issues with and those without the 'VOC' Company monogram. A minor issue of locally struck tin bararucos was authorized in 1746, but apart from this virtually no indigenous coinage appears to have been struck during the three-quarters of a century leading up to resumption of extensive local mint activity from 1783.

  * 1606-1699 - Lion Daalder - the original silver Dollar coin
  * 1644 . . . . . . - Batavia VOC 1/2 Stuiver copper cast coin

  * 1646-1794 - Dutch VOC Pulicat copper Dump coins
  * 1695 . . . . . . - Dutch Kali Negapatnam copper Dump coins
  * 1700-1784 - Dutch VOC Negapatnam copper Dump coins
  * 1660-1720 - Dutch Wreath Series copper Dump coins

  * 1747-1784 - Negapatnam gold Porto Novo one Swami Pagoda coin
  * 1761-1782 - Mysore gold Haidar Ali two Swami Pagoda coin
  * 1750-1780 - Holland gold Trade Ducat coin
  * 1783-1794 - Tuticorin/Colombo gold Porto Novo one Swami Pagoda coin

  * 1783-1795 - Colombo Jaffna Galle Trincomalee VOC copper Dump coins
  * 1785 . . . . . . - Colombo VOC 4 3/4 stuiver Bonk bar coin : Old Forgery ?
  * 178Z-1786 - Colombo VOC Dove on mango tree tin dump coin
  * 1789-1791 - Colombo VOC 1 DT Lead dump coin
  * 1792-1793 - Colombo VOC 1 DUIT Lead dump coin

Please see John Madlon Collection pages at

Text edited from
* Oriental Coins: Michael Mitchiner
  London, Hawkins Publications, 1978.