M. D. D & C ^o

A Ceylon 4^D½ Token with initials whch have not been identified. It is an example of a large number of same design and of same value with initials of persons or companies which have been used in 19th centuray British colonial Ceylon during the era of coffee plantations.

SPECIFICATIONS Denomination 4½ pence Alloy Copper Diameter 24.5 mm Thickness  mm Weight 4.03 gms Shape Round Edge Grained DieAxis O° Issue not identified
Pridmore #72 Mitchiner #2242

Obverse -	--.-- M.D.D&C O. --.--	between two lines with a dot in centre of each and within a beaded circle.
Reverse -	4D½	within a beaded circle.

A well-struck copper token with beaded circles at margin on each side; evidently issued before the Decimal coinage of 1870. The initials have not been identified from local inquiries.
Not Listed in Lowsley.
Size rather larger than a farthing and of weight about 60 grains.

Tabulated below are a selection of Tokens of very similer design which have been cataloged and many identified in Pridmore.

Link	Pridmore	Lowsley	Initails	Edge	Diameter	Weight	Value	Company
	P#38	L#11	J. P. G.	Plain	22.0 mm	3.53 gms	4D½	J. P. Green & Co
@	P#42	L#24	G. R. P. & C O	Plain	24.0 mm	3.49 gms	4D½
	P#72		M. D. D. & C O	Grained	24.5 mm	4.03 gms	4D½
	P#111	L#39	M. W. & C O	Grained	24.5 mm	4.08 gms	4D½	Mathes Williams & Co
	P#60		K. S. & C O	Grained	24.5 mm	4.10 gms	4D½	Keir, Swan & Co
	P#41	L#10	D. V. G.	Grained	24.5 mm	4.14 gms	4D½	D. V. Gunaratne
	P#78	L#23	D. P. P. & C O	Plain	24.5 mm	4.40 gms	19 Cents	D. P. Perera

Reference
* Coins and Tokens of Ceylon, Lieut. Col B. Lowsley, Num. Chron. Sr III Vol. XV, 1895.
* The Coins of British Commonwealth of Nations to the end of the reign of George VI 1952 Part 2 - Asian Territories by F. Pridmore Spink & Son Ltd., 1965. Tokens
* Oriental Coins AD 600 - 1979 by Michael Mitchiner 1979

The coin was scanned at 300dpi and the images are displayed at 250dpi.
The extreamly fine condition coin was obtained on ebay in 2000 April from a dealer in USA from whome I have purchased many coins.