| SPECIFICATIONS | |
| Denomination | Two Stiver |
| Alloy | Copper |
| Diameter | 34. mm |
| Thickness | 2.5 mm |
| Weight | 18.14 gms |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Plain |
| Issue | 1,920,000 |
| DieAxis | 180° |
| Proof | |
| Mint | Royal Mint |
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| Pridmore #90; Mitchiner #2221; Krause #82 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Obverse : Laur and draped bust to right.
T.W. placed below the right shoulder. Around margin
GEORGIUS III D:G : BRITANNIARUM REX
Reverse : Within plain rim an elephant facing left and
above, CEYLON around rim; TWO STIVER in a single line; and below 1815.
The Stiver known in Sinhala Tuttuwa and in Tamil Tuddu was worth 3 Dutch challie (VOC Duits), and 4 English challie (1/2 Farthings). i.e. "Two Stiver" was of equal value to a British Penny of similar weight and size. The British idiom "Not worth a penny" translated to the Sinhala "Tuttu dhecker", which is a comparison with the value of this coin.
The obverse engraved by Thomas Wyon Jr. A similar proof pattern not
issued for circulation has a dot after REX., a small rose near the rim
above initials T.W. on obverse, and T.W on the ground line below
elephants right near-side foot.
Pridmore collection (Glendining & Co Auction 1982 October 18th, London lot#41)
sold for GBP550.(+10% buyers premium).
The Dick Ford collection (in Taisei-Baldwin-Gillio Auction#19 1995
February 23 Singapore lot#183) sold Proof for hammer price of
US$1,300/-(+10% buyers premium).
Text from
* Ceylon Coins and Currency By H. W. Codrington. Colombo 1924
Page 154 Chapter XI British - Coins struck in England .
The coin was scanned at 600dpi and the images are displayed at 200dpi.