The Government of Ceylon : 1926
Uniface Five Hundred Rupee Note

The Uniface currency note of Five Hundred Rupees issued by the Board of Commissioners of Currency of The Government of Ceylon, with the standard front format of Colonial currency, with 4 Serial Numbers. This Type of Rs 500 note, has only 1 date with 1 Signature pair and was not issued before 1926. However essays of the Rs500 note exists, an uniface 1919 essay and biface 1925 essay.

1926_tgoc_500r_front images/1926_tgoc_500r_sm_pf.jpg
LK:SCWPM #0116(click image 5)Secret Marks identified
The Notes are 254 by 165 mm i.e. 10 by 6½ inches with 8-inch Bar.
Printed by Thomas De La Rue & Co., London
Handmade paper manufactured by Thomas De La Rue & Co. London.

Front : Black on Green underprint with huge FIVE HUNDRED at center. THE GOVERNMENT OF CEYLON centered on top above. Promises to pay the Bearer on Demand the Sum of. In a 8-inch bar the value in words FIVE HUNDRED RUPEES with Micro printing of same around. On either side, a numeric 500 with RUPEES in an arc below, within a circle. Just below the value රුපියල් පන්සියයයි in Sinhala to left, and ஐந்நூறு ரூபாய் in Thamil on right. The Red Serial number above and below on both left and right, with Colombo, 1st June 1926 centered below. Colombo, date: day Month Year, centered below. 1926_tgoc_500r_watermark In panel in two lines FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF CEYLON with Micro printing of same around at bottom left. Two facsimile signatures of A.G.M. Fletcher and W.W. Woods at right and COMMISSIONERS OF CURRENCY. below.
Printer name THOS.DE LA RUE & CO LONDON. in tiny font at bottom left.
Back : Blank
Water-mark : At center huge FIVE HUNDRED RUPEES in 3 lines dark with light shadow to lower right. A vertical quadruple ZigZag lines dark with light between to right, and light Elephant and Dagaba Bubble shaped with Pinnacle and lightning conductor to the upper left with a light leafy liyavala below it. Centered below within decorative panel with light rectangular border THE GOVERNMENT OF CEYLON dark with light outline.

Signatures of Commissioners of CurrencyDate on BankNoteFirst Serial #Mintage
in K

A. G. M. Fletcher
W. W. Woods 		1st June 1926 E/l 00001 50

The notes were demonetized on 1945 November 15th with all other Rs1000 and Rs500 notes previously issued and ceased to be legal tender after 1946 January 31st. Only 2 pieces of Rs500 notes remain unsurrended to issuing Authority from the 50,000 printed with single date of 1926

An issued Rs500 is not unknown in any condition.

The details of this issue are from Sri Lanka Currency of Recent Times 1938-1985 T. M. U. Sallay, 1986 Colombo:Central Bank of Sri Lanka.

The about 140 dpi photograph is of BankNote exhibited at CBSL Currency Museum and displayed at 50 dpi. The image highlighting 5 secret marks is from a Spink Auction Listing. I thank the owner of a Private Collection for the image with 6 secret marks identified. in