M. D. D & CO.. , Ceylon
< 1869 - 4D½

A Ceylon 4D½ Coffee Token with initials which have not been identified.

SPECIFICATIONS
Denomination4½ pence
AlloyCopper
Diameter24.5 mm
Thickness mm
Weight4.03 gms
ShapeRound
EdgeGrained
DieAxis
Issuenot identified
mddco_4hd_obverse mddco_4hd_reverse
Lowsley Unlisted Pridmore #72 Mitchiner #2242

Obverse - --.--
M.D.D&CO..
--.--
between two lines with a dot in centre of each and within a beaded circle.
Reverse - 4D½ within a beaded circle.

A well-struck copper token with beaded circles at margin on each side; evidently issued before the Decimal coinage of 1870. The initials have not been identified from local inquiries.
Size rather larger than a farthing and of weight about 60 grains.

It is an example of a number of tokens with the same design and of same value with initials of persons or companies which have been used in 19th century British colonial Ceylon during the era of coffee plantations.

Reference
* The Coins of British Commonwealth of Nations to the end of the reign of George VI 1952 Part 2 - Asian Territories by F. Pridmore Spink & Son Ltd., 1965.
Tokens
* Oriental Coins CE 600 - 1979 by Michael Mitchiner 1979

The coin was scanned at 300dpi and the images are displayed at 250dpi.
The extreamly fine condition coin was obtained on ebay in 2000 April from a dealer in USA from whom I have purchased many coins.