The Oriental Bank Corporation
1870-1880 - Haldamulle

Currency Notes in Rupees issued from 1870 to 1880 by The Oriental Bank Corporation in Haldamulle, with an engraving of Royal Crest. Haldamulle Branch was established by 1870. 5 and 10 Rupees notes were issued.

Denomination: 5 Rupees
Note Color: Unknown
English : Five Rupees
Sinhala : රුපියල්පහයි
Thamil : ஐந்துரூபாய்
Size : 148 x 115 mm
Date : 1st Jany 1870
Status : Specimen
Pick-lk S164
Denomination: 10 Rupees
Note Color: Black
English : Ten Rupees
Sinhala : රුපියල්දහයයි
Thamil : பத்துரூபாய்
Size : 192 x 116 mm
Date : 1st Jany 1870
Status : Specimen
Pick-lk S165

Front : A decorated rectangular wide border with no text. 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 with couchant lion crowned facing arms on left and couchant unicorn chained with garter looking back away from arms on right. Below in scroll DIEU ET MON DROIT
On either side alpha-numeric Denomination with unit below in decorate, with above රුපියල් Denomination in Sinhala on left and Denomination ரூபாய் in Thamil on right, with Serial No below. Centered below HALDAMULLE, CEYLON Date as Day Month Year.
Within shaded rectangle
THE ORIENTAL BANK CORPORATION Promises to pay Bearer on demand at their Branch here, or at their Bank in Colombo DENOMINATION RUPEES , Value received
Below By Order of the Court of Directors above in one line
Entd _____ Accountt ______ Agent
Back : Spirographic design different for each denomination.
Below design small script Perkins Bacon & Co, London. Patent Hardened Steel Plate..
Watermark : ORIENTAL BANK in downward arc above CORPORATION in line below darker than paper (need to confirm)
Printed : Perkins Bacon & Co. London.
Size : Estimated assuming Frame is same as circulated Rs 5 note measured from the Colombo National Museum Collection, and assuming size was adopted in inches. On other denominations the same Royal Charter Engraving was assumed to be of same size.

It is interesting that Haldummulla issued BankNotes in the 1870's, since it is now a small town with small Bank Branches, none of which have even an ATM for which you need to go to Haputale 15 kms away.

Text and Images from Spink Auction listings Rs 5 and Rs 10.
Images estimated to be 86(Rs5) and 66(Rs10) dpi and displayed at 50 dpi.

Known Denomination, Date and Serial Numbers 

1870-1880 Haldamulla -  Rs   5  1870-01-01
                        Rs  10  1870-01-01
If you know of a Rs 5 or Rs 10 note issued by Oriental Bank Corporation in Haldamulla with date between 1870 and 1880 unrecorded above, Please contact kavan @ gmail.com with an image. Thank You