Ceylon (1598-1621) 1/4 bazaruco
This specimen was lot 773 in Stephen Album sale 30 (Santa Rosa, CA, January 2018), where it sold for $411.25. The catalog description[1] noted, "CEYLON (PORTUGUESE): Felipe II, 1598-1621, AE ¼ bazaruco, ND, arms // globe, Fine to VF, RR." The Portuguese conquered the coastline of Ceylon in the mid sixteenth century but were unable to keep their grip in the face of Dutch attacks and they withdrew in the mid seventeenth century. The Dutch ruled the coast (the interior remained independent) until the British seized the entire island in the 1790's. The Portuguese issued a few crude copper coins for their domain but most Portuguese minting was done in Goa, on the mainland. This undated type comes in several varieties but this combination of arms//globe is not listed in the SCWC.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: copper, this specimen 0.49 g.
Catalog reference: Gomes-F2.01.01.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
- Alberto Gomes and Francisco Antonio Magro, Moedas Portuguesas e do Território Que Hoje é Portugal: Catálogo das Moedas Cunhadas para o Continentes e Ilhas Adjacentes, para os Territórios do Ultramar e Grão-Mestres Portugueses da Ordem de Malta, 6ª Edição, Lisbon: Associação Numismática de Portugal, 2013.
- [1]Album, Stephen, Joseph Lang, Paul Montz, Michael Barry and Norman Douglas Nicol, Auction 30, featuring the George Anderson Collection of Tibetan Coins, the Dr. John W. Lund Collection of Swedish Coins and the Mike Edwards Collection, Santa Rosa, CA: Stephen Album Rare Coins, Inc., 2018.
Link to: