World Tokens, the Property of a North Country Collector

Ceylon, Colombo, coffee estate tokens, Darley Butler & Co. (2), obv. DARLEY.BUTLER & CO * around a radiate sun, rev. COLOMBO / 1860 / CEYLON, task value 9d, brass, 36mm; similar, task value 4 1/2d, 29mm (Prid. 27,28; cf. Ford 268); Dent Brothers & Co., uniface, GREAT / WESTERN / ESTATE, task value 9d, brass, 31mm (Prid. 29; cf. R. J. Ford, Lot 269); Pilo Fernando, 4 1/2d, obv. COFFEE PICKERS CHIT over Queen Victoria young head, rev. *PILO FERNANDO COLOMBO* around 4 1/2, copper, edge grained, 25mm; similar but rectangular, rev. 2 1/4, copper, 20 x 24mm (Prid. 33, 34; cf. Ford 269); J. P. Green & Co., obv. JPG, rev. 4 1/2d, copper, 22mm (Prid. 38; cf. Ford 269) [6]. First 3 very fine or better, last 3 near extremely fine £100-£150

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, World Tokens, the Property of a North Country Collector.

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Provenance: first 4 and last bt. D. Vorley 1987; fifth bt. A. H. Baldwin & Sons, 1987

Darley & Butler joined together in 1848-9 and formed a successful company. They had a mill called New Maddema (Slave Island) for coffee, oil and plumbago. The tokens were possibly issued for service in this mill. Dent & Brothers Great Western Estate grew coffee on 487 acres and a further 200 acres was given over to tea. The estate was located at Dimbula, Central Provenance. The Pilo Fernando mills were at Slave Island, Colombo and were pulled down about 1872 The tokens were issued prior to 1869. In 1883 J. P. Green & Co. owned a coffee mill at Konupitiya with a labour force of about 450 people. The tokens were perhaps issued in 1858