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1/3 Rixdollar - George IV Counterstamped
| Issuer | Ceylon (1597-1972) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1823 |
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| Currency | Rixdollar (1796-1828) |
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| Obverse description | Central field bears Arabic inscription in Naskh script reading the regnal year ١١٧٢ (AH 1172), referencing the Emperor Alamgir II. The legend is arranged across the field in traditional Mughal rupee style. A small applied British Royal crown counterstamp is prominently struck at the base of the coin, authenticating its revaluation and circulation in Ceylon under George IV. The coin's border is formed by a continuous ring of raised beads. The overall design reflects the host coin's Mughal origin overlaid with British colonial authority. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | ١١٧٢ (Translation: Coin of the Emperor Alamgir) |
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| Additional information |
In 1823, the British colonial administration in Ceylon faced a chronic small-change shortage and solved it with characteristic improvisation: Spanish-American silver reales were cut into thirds, counterstamped, and pressed into circulation at a fixed valuation. The source material was almost entirely Mexican and Peruvian coinage that had arrived via trade routes through the Indian Ocean, meaning the host coin beneath any given counterstamp could originate from a range of mints and reigns.
The counterstamp itself was applied at Colombo under authorization from Governor Sir Edward Barnes.