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| LK:SCWPM #011 | Highlighted Watermark image, click to see 1921 |
Front : Black and Green on White paper with huge FIVE at center background.
THE GOVERNMENT OF CEYLON centered on top above
Promises to pay the Bearer on Demand the Sum of.
In a 6-inch bar the value in words FIVE RUPEES
with Micro printing of same around. On either side, a numeric
5 with RUPEES in an arc below, within a circle.
Just below the value
රුපියල් පහයි in Sinhala to left, and
ஐந்து ரூபாய் in Thamil on right.
The Red Serial number above and below on both left and right, with
Colombo, date: day Month Year, centered below.
In panel in two lines FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF CEYLON
with Micro printing of same around at bottom left.
Two facsimile signatures 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 RUPEES in 2 lines
dark with light shadow to lower right.
A vertical triple 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 Currency | Date on BankNote | First Serial # known | Last Serial # known | Mintage in K | |
 E. Noel Walker |  F. R. Saunders | 1st September 1894 | A/11 16386 | A/25 05095 | >1390 |
 Hardinge Hay Cameron |  Francis R. Ellis | 16th September 1903 | A/27 00442 | A/27 00443 | > 1 |
 A. M. Ashmore |  Hilgrove C. Nicolle | 1st November 1904 | A/31 09456 | A/36 38516 | >530 |
 George M. Fowler | Hilgrove C. Nicolle | 10th January 1907 | A/37 60108 | A/37 60108 | >1 |
 H. Clifford |  Bernard Senior | 18th May 1908 | A/42 47285 | A/42 47285 | >1 |
| 1st November 1909 | A/49 50081 | A/62 97188 | >1060 | ||
 R. E. Stubbs | Bernard Senior | 20th January 1913 | A/67 35764 | A/74 20001 | 500 |
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| LK:SCWPM #011 | 3 Secret Marks identified |
Commencing from serial number A/74 20001 of 20th January 1913 Secret Marks were introduced to Currency Notes.
| Signatures of Commissioners of Currency | Date on BankNote | First Serial # | Mintage in K | |
| R. E. Stubbs | Bernard Senior | 20th January 1913 | A/74 20001 | 500 |
| 1st April 1914 | A/79 20001 | 500 | ||
| 1st April 1915 | A/84 20001 | 500 | ||
 A. S. Pagden | Bernard Senior | 15th May 1919 | A/89 20001 | 750 |
 Graeme Thomson | Bernard Senior | 8th December 1919 | A/96 70001 | 330 |
| B/l 00001 | 870 | |||
| 1st October 1921 | B/9 70001 | 800 | ||
 B. Horsburgh |  W. W. Woods | 1st September 1922 | B/17 70001 | 750 |
 C. Clementi |  F. J. Smith | 1st September 1923 | B/25 20001 | 300 |
| C. Clementi | W. W. Woods | 1st October 1924 | B/28 20001 | 1032 |
| 1st October 1925 | B/38 52001 | 1000 | ||
 E. B. Alexander | W. W. Woods | 1stOctober 1925 | B/48 52001 | 1798 |
The notes were demonetized with all notes dated before January 1, 1940 on 1946 April 13th and ceased to be legal tender with effect July 31, 1946.
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 231(1894) and 158(1919) dpi 1919 currency note images from Spink Auction Listings are displayed at 50 dpi.
The watermark image was Photoshoped from an image of a sheet of four
Rs 5 watermark paper image posted in 2022 July Spink Auction 22177
Lot 107
which sold for £1178 including BP and VAT.
The watermarks for 1894 to 1925 as seen on Banknote is observed to be
similar as this for 1887.
I thank Eranda Adikaram for the Watermark image from his 1921 Oct 1st Rs5 BankNote D/15 60916
Note that if Banknote has photographed with a black background and digital contrast enhanced, it effectively inverts Dark to light and light to dark as seen faintly on this Banknote image. It is best to image Watermarks with a bright light behind.