100 Rixdollars

Ceylon's Rixdollar was an inherited Dutch colonial currency that the British administration adopted after taking control of the island in 1796, initially out of practical necessity rather than policy preference. By 1809, the colonial government was still issuing notes denominated in this Dutch unit — an awkward holdover that would persist until sterling replaced it in 1828, at a fixed rate of 1s 6d per Rixdollar.

Gale & Butler, active in London during the early nineteenth century, produced engraved work for several colonial administrations. The 100 Rixdollar denomination was the highest in this government series, which made forgery a genuine concern — Ceylon's remoteness from London made plate security and paper authentication difficult to enforce in practice.