Watch List notes:

CEYLON. Dutch Ceylon - Portuguese Goa. Galle. Tanga, ND (ca. 1655). Galle Mint. NGC EF-45.
cf. KM-56 (for 2 Tangas); cf. Sch-1265 (for 2 Tangas). Issued by council resolution 19 April 1655. Type II countermark "GALL" monogram within incuse circle. Countermark applied to the obverse of a 1643-G A Tanga from Portuguese Goa of Joao IV (KM-10). The countermark is bold and clear on the nicely preserved host displaying rich attractive mottled gray patina. The present survivor is a rather RARE example and far superior than normally encountered featuring the type II countermark upon this particular host, with the other two countermarks being variations of the VOC seal for the cities of Colombo and Jaffna. This seldom encountered

GALL stood for Galle, a city on the southwest coast of Ceylon. Given Portuguese activity on the island, coinage from fellow colonies were imported for use. Some issues, such as the present piece, were specifically struck for exporting to Ceylon while others made their way to the island through commerce. Following the Dutch East India's successful campaign to drive out the Portuguese from the island in the mid-17th century (Galle 1640, Colombo 1656 and Jaffna 1658), coinage was subsequently countermarked for the new authority. The prevailing rate for Indo-Portuguese coins then in circulation was 5, 6 and 10 Stivers and were to be countermarked with the cities monogram. Due to large amounts of counterfeits in circulation all coins were inspected by a competent goldsmith and if found to genuine were countermarked.

Estimate: $900 - $1200