1645 - Portuguese - Barcelor Onor
Silver - 2 Tanga - GridIron

The silver Tanga with Coat of arms of Portugal and Gridiron of Saint Laurence struck in Barcelor Onor Mint for circulation in Ceilão, with date 1645 during the reign of D. João IV (1640-1656).

SPECIFICATIONS
DenominationDouble Tanga
AlloySilver
TypeStruck
Diameter21.5 mm
Thickness1.5 mm
Weight legal4.21 gms
Weight4.32 gms
ShapeRound
EdgeSmooth
DieAxis160°
MintBarcelor Ono,India
 1645_BO_GI_J4_2tanga_ag_obverse 1645_BO_GI_J4_2tanga_ag_reverse
Codrington PL 108 ; Gomes J4 22.01; F. Vaz J4.56; KM #15
Obverse : Crowned Coat of arms of Portugal divides B O (Barcelor Ono) within a circle of dots between two plain line circles.
Reverse : Gridiron of Saint Laurence divides year I6 45 and crown-like flames below with 3 dots all within a circle of dots between two plain line circles.

Codrington (VIII-21:I,p.99) lists it among silver coins struck for Ceylon says a very few Double Tanga's of 1645 with the Mint Letters B O standing for Mint in Barcelor Ono, Portuguese Possession on the Canara Coast have been found in Ceylon. (Karanataka Coast, south of Goa)

Text from
* Ceylon Coins and Currency By H. W. Codrington. Colombo 1924
  Chapter VIII Portuguese - Plate 108. Page 99
* Indo Portuguese Money, by J Ferraro Vaz, . Braga, Portugal 1980 p.165
* Moedas Portuguesas 1128-1988, by Alberto Gomes. Lisbon 1987

The VF grade coin was scaned at 600 dpi and images are displayed at 300 dpi.
I Thank Kushan Ranaweera for the loan of his coin to document it in 2020 February.