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1/2 Abbasi / 2 Shahi Counterstamped
| Issuer | Dutch East India Company (VOC) for Ceylon |
|---|---|
| Year | 1629-1681 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | 20 mm |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
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| Reverse description | Reverse of this hammered silver coin displays the Shi'ite Kalima in Arabic script, arranged in multiple horizontal registers across the entire field in the characteristic Safavid style. The text enumerates the names of the Twelve Imams of Twelver Shi'a Islam, beginning with the declaration of faith. The legends are densely packed and display the typical fluidity of Safavid calligraphic die-cutting. The flan shows natural irregularities consistent with hand-hammered production, with some weakness at the rim. No additional design elements or borders are present. |
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| Reverse lettering | لا اله الا الله/محمّد رسول الله/علی ولی الله علی حسن حسین علی محمد جعفر موسی علی محمد علی حسن محمد (Translation: Shiite Kalima) |
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| Additional information |
The VOC acquired Colombo from the Portuguese in 1656 and almost immediately faced the practical problem of a fragmented local currency. Persian-influenced Abbasi coinage had circulated on Ceylon for decades, and rather than strike an entirely new issue, Company officials authorized counterstamping existing half-Abbasi pieces — a faster and cheaper solution that also acknowledged what merchants and traders already accepted. The date range reflects not a single minting event but an extended policy across multiple VOC governorships of the island.
The KM numbers reflect genuine variety in the counterstamp punches used across different administrations and locations, Colombo and Galle being the primary candidates.