The Chartered Mercantile Bank
of India, London & China
Ceylon Branch - 1864-1869 - Colombo

Denomination : 10 Shillings Note Color : Brown Overprint Color : Green English : Ten Sinhala : රුපියල් පහයි : පවුඬ් බාගයයි Thamil : ரூபாய் ஐந்து : அரைப் பவுண்ட் Size : 208 x 115 mm Date : 1 Jan 1867 Status : Signed
Click to see image of signed note. Pick-lk S117
Denomination : 1 Pound Note Color : Blue Overprint Color : Red English : One Sinhala : රුපියල් දහයයි : පවඬ් එකයි Thamil : ரூபாய் பத்து : ஒரு பவுண்ட் Size : 212 x 117 mm Date : ___ 18__ < 1870 Status : Specimen
Pick-lk S118
Denomination : 5 Pounds Note Color : Green Overprint Color : Red English : Five Sinhala : රුපියල් පකහයි(sic) : පවඬ් පහයි Thamil : ரூபாய் ஐம்பது : அஞ்த பவுண்ட் Size : 208 x 113 mm Date : ___ 18__ < 1870 Status : Specimen
Pick-lk S119
Denomination : 10 Pounds Note Color : Black Overprint Color : Green English : Ten Sinhala : රුපියල් වකයිපයි(sic) : පවඬ් දහයි Thamil : ரூபாய் நூறு : பத்து பவுண்ட் Size : 174 x 111 mm Date : ___ 18__ < 1870 Status : Specimen
Click to see Proof without TEN POUNDS Overprint. Pick-lk S120
Denomination : 50 Pounds Note Color : Black Overprint Color : Dark Blue English : Fifty Sinhala : රුපියල් පන්සියයයි : පවඬ් පනහයි Thamil : ஐந்நூறு ரூபாய் : ஐம்பது பவுண்ட் Size : 178 x 114 mm Date : ___ 18__ < 1870 Status : Specimen
Pick-lk Unlisted

Front : On a decorated rectangular wide border centered on top CEYLON BRANCH. on bottom, පවඬ් Denomination in Sinhala on left and Denomination பவுண்ட் in Thamil on Right. Within border on top Center, below arced legend INCORPORATED BY ROYAL CHARTER crowned British Royal Coat of arms within belt with legend HONO SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE supported by lion on left and unicorn on right. Lion standing left on crown. Below in scroll DIEU ET MON DROIT
On either side numeric Denomination in decorate, with රුපියල් Denomination in Sinhala above on left and Denomination ரூபாய் in Thamil on right.
Below centered N^o ##### COLOMBO ____ 18__ N^o ##### .
Within shaded rectangle THE CHARTERED MERCANTILE BANK OF INDIA, LONDON & CHINA Promises to pay bearer on demand at its Branch in COLOMBO in the Currency of the Island DENOMINATION POUNDS value received
Below By Order of the Court of Directors above in one line Ent^d _____ ACCOUNT^t ______ MANAGER
In small text within border in lower left corner PERKINS BACON & C^o, LONDON
The value in words DENOMINATION on five interlocking circles in color Overprinted.
Back : Ornate Spirographic designs with Numeric Value within on either side. In small text brlow PERKINS BACON & C^o, LONDON
WaterMark : None Seen on Specimens in HSBC Archive
Printed : Perkins Bacon & C^o London.
Size : Estimated assuming Frame is same as circulated note measurered from the Colombo National Museum Collection, and asuming size was adopted in inches is same for every denomination.

The 10 Shilling denomination has a slightly different design to the others. 1) In front on upper left and right, instead of the Numeric or Text Denomination in decorate, there is TEN SHILLINGS within decorate. 2) At back has small Spirographic designs repeated at four corners and TEN SHILLINGS within large decorate at center. The printers name below in small text centered is Perkins Bacon & C^o, London. Patent Hardened Steel Plate

Note that for the £10 the value has been expressed in full as TEN POUNDS on seven interlocking circles in color Overprint. On the back expressed as £10. The extra emphasis to ensure note is clearly identified from the 10 Shillings.

The Sinhala script has been written obscenely for Rupees Fifty රුපියල් පනහයි (as sic පකහයි) and for Rupees One Hundred රුපියල් එකසියයි (as sic වකයිපයි) These Errors in Sinhala Text corrected when it commenced note issue in Rupees, after monetary reform in 1869. Note also however that The Asiatic Banking Corporation notes and The Oriental Bank Corporation notes of the 1860's had the Sinhala and Thamil Text written correctly.

Note also the Thamil  பவுண்ட் denomination in 5£ note அஞ்த rather than ஐந்து Same in notes issued in Kandy. It has been underlined in this specimen, maybe for correction.
The Thamil is also reversed ஐந்நூறு ரூபாய் in highest 50£ note, as is the order used for all subsequent post decimal notes issued.

I thank Claire Twinn, Global Functions Archives Manager, HSBC Holdings PLC, London for sending me in 2020 March, the images of the 10 Shilling, £1, £5, £10 and £50 notes from the HSBC Collection. Reproduced with the permission of HSBC Holdings plc (HSBC Archives) Reduced image to 200 dpi and displayed at 50 dpi.

Text and other Images from Auction listings mostly from the 2011 Spink Auction of 19th Century Ceylon Notes. It listed Uniface Specimen Proofs on card of Chartered Mercantile Bank of India, London and China, Ceylon Branch, Colombo Shillings and Pounds. 10s, 1, 5 and 10.