Rix Dollar Currency Notes of Ceylon By Dr

Rix Dollar Currency Notes of Ceylon By Dr Kavan Ratnatunga http: //coins. lakdiva. org Sri Lanka Numismatic Society 2017 October 15 th

Dutch Ceylon Kredit Brief

In 1785 Governor Vandergraff, took over Ceylon from Governor Falckt. He found the revenues of the island inadequate to the expenses; and the Treasury exhausted by additional number of troops, which the Company had been under the necessity of raising, since the year 1780, for the protection of the colony. To obviate these difficulties, he, resolved on 1785 March 19 th to issue Ceylon's first Paper Money.

Ceylon’s First Currency Note Dated 1785 May 10 th, 25, 000 Rix-Dollars called Kredit Brief of the denominations 50, 100, 500, 1000 Ryxds, were issued. They were signed by the Hoofd Administrateur Sluysken and the acting Negotie Boekhouder Raket and counter signed by Secretary Billing They were cancelled 1787 April 5 th.

Detailed breakdown of 14 issue dates in Colombo between 1785 -1792 (5 -1000 Ryxd), 1 issue date in Trincomalee from 1788 (25 -100 Ryxd) and 2 issue dates in Batticaloa between 1789 -1789 (5 -200 Ryxd) with known recorded quantities of each issued denomination are given in page 143 of Codrington's CCC.

In 1793 certain Kredit Brieven were found to have been falsified by alteration of the figures. On 1793 December 17 all Kredit Brieven issued before 1792 September 1 st were recalled and exchanged for new notes and copper coins.

I don't know of any images of these older Kredit Brief notes, which have been published. They were probably all recalled and destroyed.

A 1000 Rix Dollar Kredit Brief Note Issued 1794 January 18 in Colombo. Endorsed by the British Authority. Interest Payments to 1809 are recorded. B. W. Fernando’s book

A 5 Rix Dollar Kredit Brief Note Issued 1795 September 17 th in Colombo. Maritime Museum in Amsterdam. Tried to see on 2016 November 2 nd

2017 Sept 28 th Spink London Auction Lot 1297 1795 5 Ryxd Kredit Brief Estimate 20, 000 to 25, 000 Passed at 19, 000 pounds. (About lk. Rs 5 M with 20% premium )

A 5 Rix Dollar Kredit Brief Note Issued 1795 September 17 in Colombo. Endorsed by the British Authority. Interest Payments to 1912 are recorded.

Goed Zegge voor Ryksdaalders 5 VYF Ryksdaalders. WY ondergetekende Certificeeren, dat Thoonder deezes, by de Compagnie te goet heeft Vyf Ryksdaalders van 48 zwaare Stuyvers, Indifch-Geld. voor welkers waerde dees Kreditbrief overal ten deezen Eilande gangbaar zal gehouden worden

Please Help If you can type Thamil in Unicode. Thanks.

KOLUMBO den 17. SEPTEMBER Anno 1795 . The manuscript signatures of C, van Angelbeek Hoofd Administrateur T. G. Hofland Negotie Boekhouder

Dutch Ceylon 1796 Kolumbo Kas Nooten

Dutch Ceylon 1796 Kolumbo Kas Nooten • Good For 2 Ryxds

By Plakaat of 1795 December 18 th Notice was given to issue Paper Money of the denominations 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10 Rix-Dollars. The proclamation rehearses that owing to the threatened investment of Colombo by the British doubts had arisen among the populace about the ability of the Government to redeem the Kredit Brieven and reassures them on this issue.

In 1924 H. W. Codrington in his monograph Ceylon Coins and Currency describes the two Ryxds note in the Colombo Museum. Description does not include the Endorsement in English and the Signature at the back

In 2012 when I investigated the Coins and Currency collection of the Colombo National Museum to provide a Report to the CID after the 2012 March Burglary, I saw these notes for the First time, as they were not on display. The 2 Ryxds Kas Nooten explicitly described by HWC was sadly missing from the Colombo National Museum Currency collection.

3 p. Cent per annum on this Kredit Brief payable by the British Government of Ceylon under the condition of the Sixth article of the Capitulation of Columbo.

Signature Geo Gregory Reg? George Gregory was Collector for Colombo

Black rectangular Seal with Arabic text in middle

Oldest Endorsement which says Interest Paid from 15 th February to 15 th August 1796. This Inerest at 3% per annum would have been 3. 6 Stuivers for 6 months.

The back of the 1795 Kredit Brief that went on Auction at Spink in September 2017

Dutch Ceylon 1796 Kolumbo Kas Nooten • Good For 1 Ryxds

The Hand Stamps on Kas Nooten

178 Z - Dutch - VOC - One Duit Dove on mango tree -> Colombo • Diameter 19. 8 mm Thickness 8. 0 mm • Weight 16. 72 gms Tin dump coin

Dutch Ceylon 1796 Kolumbo Kas Nooten • Good For 3 Ryxds

Dutch Ceylon 1796 Kolumbo Kas Nooten • Good For 4 Ryxds

Dutch Ceylon 1796 Kolumbo Kas Nooten • Good For 5 Ryxds

Dutch Ceylon 1796 Kolumbo Kas Nooten • Good For 10 Ryxds

1814 1 Rix Dollar

No #### Colombo 1 September 1814. The Government of Ceylon promise to pay to the Bearer on demand the Sum of ONE Rix Dollar in Copper Money at the Exchange of Forty Eight Stivers for the Rix Dollar on presenting this at the General Treasury RIX ONE DOLLAR COLOMBO September 1814 No Exd & Entd One handsigned and One handstamped signature.

• Sinhala Text: • Top left Horizontal පත ග එකය and Upper left Vertical ලනකව (sic) ආනඩව Tamil Text: Top right Horizontal. . . and Upper right Vertical. . .

1820 2 Rix Dollar

• Sinhala Text: Top left Horizontal ල කව ආනඩව කසබ රපපව Above TWO ද කය Above Rix Dollar පත ග • Tamil Text: Top right Horizontal. . . Below TWO. . . Below Rix Dollar. . .

1820 2 Rix Dollar with Dry Stamp

Dry Stamp CEYLON GOVERN MENT S 2 R DIEU ET MON DROIT God and My Right

1821 : Ceylon Georgius IV - Silver Rix Dollar • Diameter 26. 8 mm Thickness 1. 8 mm • Weight 8. 98 gms 0. 892 Silver

The notes illustrated in this talk and many other images from Internet of Notes that circulated in Lanka are described in detail in Internet web-site maintained by me. http: //notes. lakdiva. org/ They have been scanned at 300 dpi or higher and displayed on this website. .

Madras Presidency • The Maritime Provinces of Ceylon were attached to the Madras Presidency and administered by the East India Company through military governors. • The first was Colonel (later Major-General) Steuart; his successors were Major General W. E. Doyle, who governed for a few months from January 1, 1797, and Brigadier-General de Meuron. • Their jurisdiction was both civil and military. • The Madras administration proved a failure.

1797 - United East India Company 1796 to 1800 Maritime Lanka controled as part of India in Madras Presidency

British Crown Colony • By the Peace of Amiens the possession of Ceylon was confirmed to the British. • On January 1, 1802, their settlements in the Island became a Crown Colony, with His Majesty's Council on Ceylon, consisting of the Chief Justice, the Commander in-Chief and the Chief Secretary, and with a new Civil Service.

1801 – 1816 Ceylon Government Copper Elephant Dump Stivers The British Settlements and Territories in the Island of Ceylon became a Crown Colony in 1802

1802 - Ceylon Government First coins Minted in Britain 1/96 of Rix Dollar = ½ Stiver

1803 - 1809 – Ceylon Silver Elephant Dump 96 Stivers = 2 Rix Dollars • Diameter 23. 1 mm Thickness 4. 8 mm • Weight 18. 14 gms 0. 833 Silver

GEORGIUS III D: G: BRITANNIARUM REX Elephant facing left - Ceylon 1815

Colombo, Treasury series • Black and White, Britannia within wreath top left, one printed and one handstamped signature below (Pick unlisted) • #1442 1 rix dollar, Colombo, 1 September 1814, Serial number 3122 • #1443 2 rix dollars, Colombo, 20 May 1820, Serial number 13006,

Ceylon, Treasury issue • Black and white, Britannia top centre with symbols of Empire and commerce and prosperity, value top left and right and low left. Perkins, Bacon & Petch engraving Unissued, 18 -

Ceylon Sterling Currency

Commercial Banks • Ordinance No. 23 of 1844, enabled private Bankers to issue paper money or ‘promissory notes’, with the stipulation that notes should not be issued to an amount less than £ 1 • The first bank, the Bank of Ceylon was established on 1841 June 1 st, after obtaining a Royal Charter.

Bank of Ceylon • The Bank of Ceylon was the first private Bank to get authority to issue notes in 1844 when it apparently ordered denominations from £ 1 through £ 50 from Perkins Bacon in London. • It appears likely that no notes were ever issued from this order due to changing circumstances. • Proof on card, Colombo, 18 - Black and white, Ornate circular vignette of Britannia at left with symbols of Empire, royal arms top centre, value top left and right (PS 111), Black SPECIMEN handstamp

Mercantile Bank of India, London & China • The bank received its Royal Charter on 15 September 1857 and was to lose it in 1892. • In Ceylon it issued notes at its initial branches, Colombo & Kandy, within months. The Galle branch opened in 1863. • Until 1870 the bank issued notes denominated in sterling; pursuant to monetary reform in 1869 it then commenced a note issue in rupees. • From 1884 all the notes of the two banks were withdrawn • All notes of this bank are exceptionally rare, whether proof, specimen, or issued. • The issues of the Chartered Mercantile were far less extensive than those of the Oriental Bank.

The Chartered Mercantile Bank of India, London & China • Value in underprint low centre on background of interlocking concentric circles, royal arms top centre, value in oval frame top left and right, reverse, value at left and right (PS 117), • The bank received its Royal Charter on 15 September 1857 • In Ceylon it issued notes at its initial branches, Colombo & Kandy, within months. • The Galle branch opened in 1863. • Until 1870 the bank issued notes denominated in sterling; .

Asiatic Banking Corporation • The Asiatic was founded in 1864 at Bombay by industrialist Premchand Roychand during a period of intense financial speculation. • It established branches at Kandy and Colombo in Ceylon • Arms top centre, value top left and right and at left and right.

Oriental Bank Corporation • Black and white, royal arms top centre, value in circular frame top left and right, two manuscript signatures below, • Reverse black spirographic design at centre (PS 136 for type) • This bank succeeded the Bank of Ceylon and was chartered in England in 1851.

Oriental Bank Corporation • Black and white, • Obverse: Coloured value in central guilloche, Maiden on throne at left (Empire), Mercury at right, royal arms top centre, two manuscript signatures below, • Reverse: pale colour, medallic female head at left and right