1783 - 1792 - Ceylan
Galle VOC - Two Stiver

Two stivers VOC copper dump coins from Dutch Mint at Galle, setup on Resolution of 1783 March 13th.

SPECIFICATIONS
DenominationTwo Stiver
AlloyCopper
TypeStruck
Diameter26. mm
Thickness mm
Weight Legal26.70 gms
Weight24.7 gms
Shaperound
EdgeDump
DieAxis
MintGalle
1792_voc_g_2st_cu-dump_obverse 1792_voc_g_2st_cu-dump_reverse
Schloten 1340a; Mitchiner #2193; Krause #30

Obverse : G (Galle) above VOC monogram. Value 2 S below. two rosettes of four dots on either side
Reverse : Year 1792 above value in Sinhala = I(stribi) 2 (2 Stivers)
Both sides within Rim of dotted and line circles.
VOC monogram of the Dutch East India Company has a large V superimposed on OC. This coin is 7% underweight which probably within the margin of weight error in manufacture.

KM30S1334a S1783with <.:.>-<.:.> and 2.S. Rev.1783., : between Sinhala letters, above and below <.:.>
KM30S1334b S1783with 1783: S
KM30S1334c S1783with 2.S and 1783. S
KM30S1334d S1783with 2.S and 1783 without dot S
KM30S1334e S1783without : between Sinhala letters, but . below 1783.
KM30S1334f R1783with 0-0 and 2.S. Rev. as a without <.:.> Rim of dashes
KM30S1335a S1787as No.1334d, . between Sinhala letters
KM30S1335b S1787without dots between or above the letters
KM30S1336a S1788as No. 1334d Rev. <.:.> above and below, the date 1788 (without dot), to 1. below I a dot
KM30S1336b S1788with 2oS
KM30S1336c S1788with 2S
KM30S1336d S1788similar. Rev. Sinhala letters between .-. above only <.:.>
KM30S1336e S1788with 172S etc. Old forgery? (Grogan p1. IV, 591)
KM30S1337a S1789as No. 1334a but 2 S Rev. no dots between Sinhala, to left below I a dot
KM30S1337b S1789. to right above first Sinhala character
KM30S1337c S1789. above the date only
KM30S1338 R1790as No. 1334d, date with very small o
KM30S1339 R1791Similar
KM30S1340a R1792as No. 1337a Rev. <.:::.> above date
KM30S1340b R1792the 2 of date smaller, Sinhala larger

Minting in Galle as was also done at Jaffna, was under the supervision of the local employees of the Company.

The Stivers were struck in accordance with the Res. of Mar.13, 1783 and in agreement with the weight of the Stivers of Colombo. The minting of Dudus anywhere but at Colombo was disapproved of by Batavia. Since, however, the Mint at Colombo was already overtaxed and it had to rush to be able to supply Jaffna and Galle with coining material before the end of the sailing season.

Text from
* Ceylon Coins and Currency By H. W. Codrington. Colombo 1924
  Page 135 Chapter X Dutch - Coins of the Eastern Mints. Plate 144.
* The Coins of the Dutch Overseas Territories- 1601-1948
  C. Scholten, 1953, Amsterdam: Jacques Schulman.

This VG coin was scanned at 300dpi and the images are displayed at 250dpi. It was purchased in February 1999 on ebay.