Ceylon 1815 1/2 stiver
This specimen was lot 100 in Classical Numismatic Group's sale of the Lissner Collection (Chicago, August 2014), where it sold for $847. The catalog description[1] noted, "CEYLON (SRI LANKA), Colonial. British. George III. 1760-1820. CU 1/2 Stiver. London mint. Dated 1815. In NGC encapsulation graded MS 64 BN. Nice even light chocolate color over gem surfaces. Only one graded higher in 65. Purchased from Meridian Coin Company." This half stiver piece was machine struck in 1815 in London for Ceylon. This mix of stivers and rixdollars was inherited by the British from the Dutch, who occupied the island until 1796. Decimal coinage was instituted in 1870. Ceylon attained her independence in 1948 after the British left India and is now known as Sri Lanka. This specimen sold for double the catalog value.
Recorded mintage: 2,400,000 plus proofs.
Specification: copper, this specimen Ø22 mm, 4.61 g, 6h axis.
Catalog reference: KM 80; Cr 28.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Teller, M. Louis, and Victor England, Jr., The Richard Lissner Collection, Lancaster, PA: Classical Numismatic Group, 2014.
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