CEYLON BRANCH- 2 — ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY. 161 



and Treasury notes issued for rixdollars at the rate of 48 

 copper stivers for each rixdollar. A new copper coin was also 

 made : but the rixdollar, not the copper coin, was now the regu- 

 lating medium. The rixdollar was composed of an alloy of 

 Japan copper agreeably to the standard of the Spanish piastre. 

 Several issues of all these — the copper and silver coinage and 

 the Treasury notes — were made during the years 1802, 3, 4, and 

 5 : the rixdollar being at this time intrinsically worth 1 6jd. In 

 1808 a new coinage took place, the previous silver coin having 

 disappeared: but with an addition of 10 per cent alloy; so that 

 the rixdollars oi 1808 and 1809 were worth but 1 4-|d. Both 

 silver and copper however, continued to disappear, by melting 

 and exportation ^ and in 1812 there was little else to be had but 

 paper currency. 



In 18 3, according to Bertolacci * the depreciation from the 

 original value of the Ceylon stivers of 1780 was not less than 

 2i0 per cent, for in 1780 the ducat-oon exchanged for 30 stivers? 

 and in 1813 for 240 which is the relative proportion of 1 8 rix- 

 dollars for one pound sterling. The depreciation from the yeaf 

 lbO^ to 1803 was about 90 per cent. 



In 1815 the Dutch challies which had been current at the rate 

 of 16 to the fanam, and the new issue of challies then made, 

 were in consequence as it is said of the changes in the stand- 

 ard of colonial currency, directed to pass at the rate of 12 chal* 

 lies to the fanam. 



Ceylon rixdollar of the year 1821. No, 15, 



Silver piece of the year 1804 bearing the No. 48, and silver 

 pieces of the year 1808 bearing the Nos. 24 and 96, indi- 

 cating the number of stivers in each. Nos, 16. 17» 18. 



* View of Ceylon, p. 96 c 



