1982 - Sri Lanka - Inaugural Test Cricket

Inaugural Test Cricket - England vs Sri Lanka : 17-22 February 1982 A limited Mintage medal with personal name engraved issued on 10.2.1982.
England won this inaugural Test Cricket match by 7 wickets.
SPECIFICATIONS
AlloySilver 0.925
Diameter33.5 mm
Thickness2.2 mm
Weight23.95 gms
ShapeRound
EdgeMilled
Die-Axis0°
Mintage500
 1982_cricket_obverse 1982_cricket_reverse
Uncataloged
Obverse : The Lion facing left with Sword in right paw emblem from the Sri Lanka Flag encircled by decorative design with 16 sections, slightly above center. The date 17-22 FEB: 1982 in two lines just below. INAUGURAL TEST MATCH at the top, and SRI LANKA VS ENGLAND at the bottom along periphery within A dot circle.
Reverse : The St. George slaying the Dragon emblem from the British sovereign, slightly above center. Panel to engrave a name just below. MADE IN SRI LANKA BY PATTAKANNUS at the top, and COLOMBOat the bottom along periphery within A dot circle.
1982_cricket_obverse 1982_cricket_reverse
The certificate of Authenticity says that this souvenir Coin was struck by us under the authorization by the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka. Hand signed Mr. S.A. Thiagarajah, Managing Director Pattakannu Subbiah Achary & Sons. The reverse has Technical data and address Pattakannu Subbiah Achary & Sons 102, New Chetty Street, Colombo 13, Sri Lanka. Established in 1895 Pattakannus is one of the oldest gold jewellers in Sri Lanka.

The medal is embedded in dark brown velvet with brown satin tag to lift coin, inside a red 7.6 cm square hinged red box with a silver 6 cm square printed on top, outline of SriLanka to upper left and INAUGURAL TEST CRICKET ENGLAND VS SRILANKA 17-22 FEB 1982 SRI LANKA in 5 lines in lower right. The logo of PATTAKANNU SUBBIAH ACHARY & SONS JEWELLERS with a crowned P at center is printed in brown on the white satin of the inside cover.

Medal was not sold to public. Was only engraved and given to Cricketers and Officials, except for a few given by Mr. Thiagarajah of Pattakannu to his friends.

The medal is No 140 of a Authorised Mintage of 500 engraved with the Name D. B. CARR. He played for England, only in the two games on the tour of India in 1951-52. In the Madras Test he captained England (in the absence of Nigel Howard) to their first defeat in India. He was secretary of the Cricket Council and Test and County Cricket Board (TCCB) (1973-86) when this medal was issued. See Cricinfo

The medal was scanned at 600 dpi and displayed at 175 dpi The medal was won on eBay in 2006 November from a dealer in England.

This was the Inaugural Test Cricket Match after Sri Lanka was admitted as ICC's seventh full member on 1981 July 21st. However, nearly a century earlier on 1882 October 13th, the England team en route to Australia and Captained by Sir Ivo Bligh, played the first International match in Ceylon against the Colombo Cricket Club. CCC founded in 1863 represented All-Ceylon, although it was taboo to the 'natives' until 1961.