The Government of Ceylon : 1917 - 1939
One Rupee Note

This Type of Rs 1 note has 22 dates with 16 Signature pairs between 1917 to 1939, and 16 Prefix letters B-R excluding I. As they were also issued in booklets from 1922, 18 Dates have two varieties left edge straight or perforated if also issued as booklet. There are a total of 58 notes if you count all the dates, signatures, prefixes, and perforations. This must be by far the most varieties for a single Ceylon Type. Lakdiva collection has 28 and looking for 1920 or 1921 and 1932 to complete my Signature set.

4 Secret Marks incorporated from First issue of 1917.
Perforated edge for notes from Booklets issued from 1922.
LK:SCWPM #016a

Front : Blue on Green, Lilac and Gray Guilloche pattern under-print. THE GOVERNMENT OF CEYLON on top to left above Promises to pay the Bearer on Demand the Sum of value in outlined font ONE RUPEE in a 3.5-inch bar with to right of large numeric 1 within octagon with sides arced out. Just below the value රුපියලයි in Sinhala to left, and ஒரு ரூபாய் in Thamil on right. Larger outlined font ONE RUPEE in under-print which outside a central flower has mosaic of diamonds with numeric 1 with micro-print ONERUPEE along diagonals. Colombo Date: day Month Year, with FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF CEYLON in two lines below. Two facsimile signatures to left above COMMISSIONERS OF CURRENCY. The Black Serial number on the lower left hand side and upper right hand corners. Printer name small at center upper edge of bottom margin THOS DE LA RUE & C^O L^TD LONDON.
Back : Twelve spoke Guilloche pattern with ONE RUPEE in two lines on either side within artistic rectangular frame, all in Blue.
Water-mark : None on paper manufactured by Thomas De La Rue & Co. Ltd., London.

Signatures of Commissioners of Currency		Date on BankNote	First Serial #	Mintage in K	Booklets
R. E. Stubbs	Bernard Senior	1st May 1917	B/1 00001	3000
		23rd March 1918	B/31 00001	6000
Graeme Thomson	Bernard Senior	1st December 1920	B/91 00001	900
			C/1 00001	350
		1st October 1921	C/4 50001	1500
B. Horsburgh	W. W. Woods	1st September 1922	C/19 50001	3000	??K LK
			C/49 50001	500	20K UK
C. Clementi	F. J. Smith	1st September 1923	C/54 50001	1000	40K
			C/64 50001	2500
C. Clementi	W. W. Woods	1st October 1924	C/89 50001	1050
			D/1 0001	2450
			D/25 50001	2500	100K
		1st October 1925	D/50 50001	4950
			E/1 00001	50
			E/1 50001	3000	120K
E. B. Alexander	W. W. Woods	1stDecember 1925	E/31 50001	3000
			E/61 50001	2050	82K
A. G. M. Fletcher	W. W. Woods	1st June 1926	E/82 00001	1800
			F/1 00001	5200
			F/53 00001	3000	120K
A. G. M. Fletcher	F. J. Smith	1st September 1927	F/83 00001	1700	68K
			G/1 00001	4300	172K
			G/44 00001	5600
			H/1 00001	1400
			H/15 00001	100	4K
A. G. M. Fletcher	W. W. Woods	1st September 1928	H/16 00001	4000	160K
			H/56 00001	4400
			J/1 00001	1700
F. G. Tyrrell	W. W. Woods	1st July 1929	J/18 00001	5000
			J/68 00001	3200	128K
			K/1 00001	1800	72K
B. H. Bourdillon	W. W. Woods	10th September 1930	K/19 00001	5000
			K/69 00001	3100	124K
			L/1 00001	1900	76K
W. W. Woods	F. G. Tyrrell	9th July 1931	L/20 00001	3500
			L/55 00001	4500	180K
			M/1 00001	500	20K
			M/6 00001	100

Removed bar between the Letter and number of Serial prefix from 1932
	5 Secret Marks adopted in 1934 Need a Photograph of the Back ( BMC C_1999-0903-644) with 2 of the SecretMarks
LK:SCWPM #016b

Signatures of Commissioners of Currency		Date on BankNote	First Serial #	Mintage in K	Booklets
W. W. Woods	W. E. Wait	1st August 1932	M 7 00001	500
			M 12 00001	500	20K
			M 17 00001	50
Full complement of 5 SecretMarks incorporated.
H. J. Huxham	W. E. Wait	2nd July 1934	M 17 50001	3500
			M 52 50001	3600	144K
			M 88 50001	100
C. H. Collins	G. S. Wodeman	26th June 1935	M 89 50001	1050
			N 1 00001	2450
			N 25 50001	3650	146K
			N 62 00001	150
H. J. Huxham	M. M. Wedderburn	18th June 1936	N 63 50001	3500
			N 98 50001	1500	60K
			P l 00001	3450	138K
			P 35 50001	200
C. H. Collins	R. M. M. Worsley	24th July 1937	P 37 50001	3500
			P 72 50001	2750	110K
			Q 1 00001	1000	40K
			Q 10 00001	150
H. J. Huxham	G. S. Wodeman	10th November 1938	Q 11 50001	2000
			Q 31 50001	3500	140K
			Q 66 50001	500
			Q 71 50001	700	28K
		2nd October 1939	Q 78 50001	2150
			R 1 00001	850
			R 9 50001	3500	140K
			R 44 50001	200	LDEA

A rainbow coloured effect in front and a intricate design on the back, protects against forgery of this note without a watermark.

Booklets issued since 1922 with 25 Notes each with single staple on left on 3/4 inch (19 mm) perforated counterfoil with beige soft board covers on front and back. Printed in Black on front cover at center huge 1^Re. The later years from at least 1936 had above 25 with Currency Notes of in 2 lines to right. If you have a booklet cover with note inside please report type and date and serial number.

LDEA - Notes invalidated by Ordinance No 10 of 1942 dated 23rd March 1942. These notes were lost, damaged or destroyed as a result of enemy action.
This loss of notes date 1939 October probabaly happened sometime in 1940, as new design notes were issued in 1941 February. As the invalidation is dated 1942 23rd March the loss clearly happend before the single Japanese raid of Colombo, Ceylon on 1942 April 5th.

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.

Click to see other 1920 image

The notes were scanned at 300 dpi and displayed at 50 dpi. The Security mark images 150 dpi from Spink Auction and 1920 images from eBay Auction. The 1936 cover was won on eBay in 200?.

I thank Thomas Hockenhull of British Museum for permission to image the 1r Proof with Secret Marks in Study Room on 2023 May 25th.