Portuguese Ceylon (1597-1658), Dutch Ceylon (1639-1796), Ceylon and its Dependencies (1796-1948), Dominion of Ceylon (1948-1972), Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (1972-present)
Portuguese Colony (1597-1658), Dutch Colony (1640-1796), British Colony (1796-1948), Independent Country (1948-present)
Location: Indian Ocean
Capital Cities: Colombo, Galle (1639-1658, Dutch) Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte (secondary capital from 1982)
Government type: Portuguese Colony (1597-1658), Dutch Colony (1640-1796), British Colony (1796-1948), Constitutional Monarchy (1948-1972), Republic (1972-present)
Main languages: Sinhala, Tamil
Main religions: Theravada Buddhism, Hinduism, Sunni Islam, Catholic Christianity
Chronology
1597: The King of Kotte dies, bequeathing his kingdom to Portugal, creating the colony of Ceylon
1639: Dutch launch invasion of Ceylon
1658: Dutch capture Colombo, ending the Portuguese colony
1795: British occupation
1796: British annex Dutch Ceylon
1796-1802: Administered by East India Company
1947: Self-rule granted
1948: Independence from Britain
1972: Republic established and name changed to Sri Lanka
1983-2009: Sri Lankan Civil War
Currency
Xerafim (1580-1706)
1 Xerafim = 5 Tangas = 300 Réis • 5 Bazarucos = 4 Réis
Stuvier (1660-1796)
1 Stuvier = 4 Duit
Rixdollar (1796-1828)
1 Rixdollar = 48 Stivers = 192 Duit
Pound (1828-1869)
1 Pound = 20 Shillings = 240 Pence
Rupee (1869-present)
1 Rupee = 100 Cents
Coins from Sri Lanka/Ceylon in the collection
British Colony (1796-1948)
•1/2 Stiver, 1815 (King George III (1796-1820), copper, London mint, KM#80)
•1 Cent, 1925 (King George V (1910-1936), copper, London mint, KM#107)
•1 Cent, 1937 (King George VI (1936-1952), copper, Calcutta mint, KM#111)
•1 Cent, 1942 (King George VI (1936-1952), copper, Calcutta mint, KM#111)
•1 Cent, 1943 (King George VI (1936-1952), bronze, Bombay, Calcutta, and London mints, KM#111a)
•5 Cent, 1942 (King George VI (1936-1952), nickel brass, Bombay, Calcutta, and London mints, KM#113)
•5 Cent, 1944 (King George VI (1936-1952), nickel brass, Bombay, Calcutta, and London mints, KM#113)
•5 Cent, 1945 (King George VI (1936-1952), nickel brass, Bombay, Calcutta, and London mints, KM#113)
•10 Cent, 1893 (Queen Victoria (1837-1901), silver (.800), London mint, KM#94)
•10 Cent, 1914 (King George V (1910-1936), silver (.800), London mint, KM#104)
•25 Cent, 1943 (King George VI (1936-1952), nickel brass, Bombay and Calcutta mints, KM#115)
Commonwealth Realm (1948-1972)
•10 Cent, 1951 (King George VI (1936-1952), nickel brass, London mint, KM#121)
•10 Cent, 1971 (Queen Elizabeth II (1952-1972), nickel brass, Llantrisant mint, KM#130)
•25 Cent, 1963 (Queen Elizabeth II (1952-1972), cupronickel, London mint, KM#131)
•2 Rupee, 1968 (Queen Elizabeth II (1952-1972), cupronickel, London mint, KM#134) Commemorative: FAO
Republic (1972-present)
•1 Cent, 1978 (aluminum, Llantrisant mint, KM#137)
•1 Cent, 1994 (aluminum, Llantrisant mint, KM#137)
•10 Cent, 1978 (aluminum, Llantrisant mint, KM#140a)
•10 Cent, 1988 (aluminum, Llantrisant mint, KM#140a)
•25 Cent, 1978 (cupronickel, Llantrisant mint, KM#141)
•25 Cent, 2005 (copper-plated steel, KM#141.2b)
•50 Cent, 1975 (cupronickel, Llantrisant mint, KM#135.1)
•50 Cent, 1978 (cupronickel, Llantrisant mint, KM#135.1)
•1 Rupee, 1975 (cupronickel, Llantrisant mint, KM#136)
•2 Rupee, 1984 (cupronickel, Llantrisant mint, KM#147)
•5 Rupee, 1994 (nickel brass, Llantrisant mint, KM#148)
•5 Rupee, 2005 (brass-plated steel, Llantrisant mint, KM#148.2a)
Banknotes from Sri Lanka/Ceylon in the collection
Republic (1972-present)
•10 Cent, 1943 (King George VI (1936-1952), P#43)
•2 Rupee, 1971 (Queen Elizabeth II (1952-1972), P#72)
•5 Rupee, 1971 (Queen Elizabeth II (1952-1972), P#73)
•10 Rupee, 1991 (P#102)
•50 Rupee, 1979 (P#87)
•50 Rupee, 2010 (P#124)