The Oriental Bank Corporation
1866-1869 - Galle

Currency Notes in Rupees issued from 1866 to 1869 by The Oriental Bank Corporation in Galle, with an engraving of Royal Crest. Galle Branch was established by 1866. 5, and 10 Rupees notes, as well as these 50 and 100 Rupees notes were issued.

Denomination: 50 Rupees
Note Color: Unknown
English : Fifty Rupees
Sinhala : රුපියල්පනහයි
Thamil : ஐம்பதுரூபாய்
Size : 197 x 122 mm
Date : 15th June 1866
Status : Specimen
Pick-lk S149
Denomination: 100 Rupees
Note Color: Unknown
English : Hundred Rupees
Sinhala : රුපියල්සියයයි
Thamil : நூறுரூபாய்
Size : 198 x 123 mm
Date : 15th Feby 1867
Status : Specimen
Pick-lk S150

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 supported by crowned rampant lion on left and unicorn chained with garter on right. Lion standing left on crown. Below DIEU ET MON DROIT in scroll.
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 Seriel No below. Centered below GALLE, 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 or the equivalent in the Currency of the Island, Value received
Below By Order of the Court of Directors above in one line
Entd _____ Accountt ______ Agent
In bottom left just inside border in small script Perkins, Bacon & Co, London. Patent Hardened Steel Plate..
Back : Spirographic design.
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.

Note that these currency notes have been issued in Rupees when Pounds Sterling was legal and therefore has the phrase or the equivalent in the Currency of the Island, which is removed from the currency notes issued after monetary reform in 1869.

Text and Images from Spink Auction listings Rs 50 and Rs 100.
Images estimated to be 64(Rs50) and 64(Rs100) dpi and displayed at 50 dpi.

Known Denomination, Date and Serial Numbers 

1866-1869 Galle -       Rs  50  1866-06-15  
                        Rs 100  1867-02-15
If you know of a Rs 50 or Rs 100 note issued by Oriental Bank Corporation in Galle with date between 1866 and 1869 unrecorded above, Please contact kavan @ gmail.com with an image. Thank You