1815 - Ceylon - George III
Silver Rix Dollar - Pattern

After the death of George II (1760 October 25th), his eldest grandson (born 1738 June 4) George III was crowned King of the United Kingdom until his death on 1820 January 29th.

On the 1st of December 1814, the Royal Mint, London, had received orders from the treasury to strike 10,000 rix-dollars in silver. Dies were prepared with effigy of George III but the silver rix-dollars with year 1815 never reached completion and only a few proof specimens exist.

SPECIFICATIONS

Denomination one Rix Dollar

Alloy Silver.892

Type Struck

Diameter 28.0 mm

Thickness 1.6 mm

Weight Legal 9.55 gms

Shape Round

Edge Plain

DieAxis 180°

Pattern Proof

Mint Royal Mint

1815_george~iii_1rxd_ag_obverse 1815_george~iii_1rxd_ag_reverse

Pridmore #81;KM #PN7

Obverse : Within plain rim, Laureate head to left, In periphery GEORGIUS III D:G:BRITANNIAR:REX F:D:
The Reverse : Within plain rim, elephant to left within wreath; above, in three lines CEYLON ONE RIX DOLLAR and below 1815

The obverse engraved by Benedetto Pistrucci. The reverse design modelled and engraved by William Wyon was approved in 1815

This coin is extremely rare and is 1 mm larger in diameter and 0.57 grams (6.3%) heavier than the common 1821 One Rix Dollar coin which was issued into circulation.

Not Listed in British Museum and Ashmolean coin collections.
Zaffer said his father had on for sale 40+ years ago.
Remember being offered one around 2000 by a Canadian Dealer for US$2500.
In 2012 I saw a Toned specimen in the Colombo National Museum Hettiaratchi collection.
NGC Census 3(55:1,64+:2) compare with 418 for 1821 1RD which circulated
PCGS Census 0 for 1815 compare with 28 for 1821

So there are at least 4 specimens known. High resolution images will help count the total number which is probably under 10. If you own or know of a 1815 Ceylon One Rix Dollar Pattern please inform me at kavanr @ gmail.com to be documented on this page.

Dick Ford collection (in Taisei-Baldwin-Gillio Auction#19 1995 February 23, Singapore lot#174) sold proof for US$1,300(+10% BP)
Mark E Freehill collection of British Ceylon, Nobel Auction 2020 Jul 29, Sydney. Lot 1704 sold for Au$15,500(+22% BP+GST) Dark Gray Tone AU
Numismatica Genevensis SA Auction#20 2024 Dec 9, Geneva, Switzerland Lot 1213 Sold for CHF 17,000(+22.5% BP); (NGC PF64+)
Heritage Auctions #61508 2025 May 18 Online Proxy Bid Live, Dallas Texas, USA lot 22081 Sold for US$2,400(+20% BP); (NGC PF55)

The 600 dpi coin images from Nobel 2020 Auction 124 lots 1704 displayed at 254 dpi

Text from
* Ceylon Coins and Currency By H. W. Codrington. Colombo 1924
Page 151 Chapter XI British - Coins struck in England - Plate 152.

1815 - Ceylon - George III Silver Rix Dollar - Pattern

1815 - Ceylon - George III
Silver Rix Dollar - Pattern