Among the landmarks in the urban region of Rajagiriya is the unique Money Museum, which does not feature any notes and bills but instead is the permanent hall with numerous coins from various periods of the country’s history up for display. It is one of the most interesting things to do in Colombo. The coins range from specimens from Anuradhapura right into the modern era, during the 20th Century and the time after Independence in 1948. As one observes the currency dating back to the early days of the country, one discovers the prolific number of foreign coins in the mix. Among them are those from China and Rome, two other ancient empires that had great power and influence over the Old World at the time. Thus Sri Lanka, in the midst of the Indian Ocean was actually a vital zone in a massive trade network that functioned for centuries on end. This Silk Route was the reason Sri Lanka was incredibly wealthy and needed a vast and complex infrastructure of hydraulic works and other marvels of engineering to support the merchants who carried out the difficult task of international trade. In fact, the very oldest exhibits at the Money Museum date back to the 3rd Century BC, to the early days of the Buddhist era.

There are numerous well-preserved coins from the European era, from the Portuguese period of the 15th Century to the British Era. Among the other colonial currencies include those from the 10th Century AD, and the early Middle Ages. At this time the island was in the grip of the South Indian Cholas, a powerful seafaring Tamil dynasty that had an empire stretching to the island of Bali and to the Maldives in the south. At this time we find coins minted with the seal and portrait of the powerful conqueror Rajaraja the Great.

Written by Vasika Udurawane for Travel Lanka Compass