The Portuguese in Ceylon (1505-1658):

The first contact of the Portuguese with the then ruling Kotte kingdom in Ceylon was in 1505-6 and was largely accidental and it was not till 12 years later that the Portuguese sought to establish a fortified trading settlement. The Portuguese were drawn into the politics of Ceylon by their anxiety to establish a bridgehead for control over the Island's lucrative  trade. They were helped by the feuding fractions in Ceylon who sought their assistance to either gain or remain in power.

The Portuguese coins struck in or used in Ceylon falls under two main categories:

The Tanga series

Silver Larins:

 The first recorded use of the Larin occured in the year 1517 and the one silver Larin was one fifth of the piece of eight. the Silver Larin Coinage which originated in the Persian Gulf, was used from that region around the coast of the Indian Ocean as far as Ceylon during the Period circa 1500-1700. The difference was that the majority of the Larins used in Ceylon were bent into a 'Fish-hook' shape whereas those of other regions were straight. The Ceylon Larin too is sometimes seen Straight but this is the exception not the norm.

Sales: As we do not sell from this website, we recommend that you check out the excellent selection of Ceylon material that is generally available with the US based Asian Collectibles Network, we find their quality and service to be excellent.