Negapatam Mint

Europeans	Dutch
	British
	Ceylon

History

British Occupation [1]

The British captured Negapatam from the Dutch in 1781.

The Dutch had struck pagodas at Negapatam for some years, initially with a fineness of 0.800, subsequently reduced to 0.769. The coins struck by the British initially had a fineness of 0.675, but this was later reduced to 0.625-0.635. Thus, it is possible that the only distinguishing feature between the pagodas struck by the Dutch and those struck by the British lies in the fineness, rather than the design.

However, there is a type of pagoda that is known in India as the ‘Scott’ pagoda, and this is illustrated in the catalogue. Further research will be required before this style of coin is definitely attributed to the British at Negapatam.

---

[1] Pridmore