Reserve Bank of Ceylon
1st January 1950
Partial Essay Series with date 1st January 1950.
Date scribbled on essay on card is 1949 February 24th.
The two low denomination notes has the Standing lion with sword
of the Lankan Flag, the higher has Portrait of King George VI.
Has the legality statement Promise to Pay rather than the words
Legal Tender used on Ceylon Banknotes since 1941 September.
These essays were probably done during the transition from the
Commissioners of Currency of Ceylon to the Central Bank of Ceylon,
before that name was even finalised.
John Exter was a senior official of the Federal Reserve System of USA,
who was seconded for service in late 1948, to the Government of Ceylon
by the US Government, to advise about the organisation and the
functions of a Reserve Bank for Ceylon, and to frame proposals for a
draft constitution for the Reserve Bank of Ceylon. Exter, who was a
brilliant banker and scholar, fulfilled his mission and was thereafter
appointed as the first Governor of the Central Bank of Ceylon in 1950.
India established the Reserve Bank of India, and their BankNotes still
say Promise to Pay rather than the words Legal Tender
which was continued by the Central Bank of Ceylon which was
established in 1950 August and issued Banknotes from 1951 January.
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| Denomination | : 1 Rupee |
English | : One Rupee |
| Sinhala | : රුපියලයි |
Thamil | : ஒரு ரூபாய் |
| Size | : 114 x 64 mm
| Online Auction |
| Back Pictorial : | Moonstone and ornate stone
stairway to Vatadage in medieval City of Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka.
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| Denomination | : 2 Rupees |
English | : Two Rupees |
| Sinhala | : රුපියල් දෙකයි |
Thamil | : இரண்டு ரூபாய் |
| Size | : 127 x 76 mm
| Online Auction |
| Back Pictorial : | On left ornate stone
Balustrade of stairway to Vatadage in medieval City of Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka.
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| Denomination | : 5 Rupees |
English | : Five Rupees |
| Sinhala | : රුපියල් පහයි |
Thamil | : ஐந்து ரூபாய் |
| Size | : 133 x 73 mm |
Spink Auction 19088 lot 323 |
| Back Pictorial : |
Side view of statue of Sage Pulasthi in medieval City of Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka.
(Popularly named in error as King ParakramaBahu 1053-1086)
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| Denomination | : 10 Rupees |
English | : Ten Rupees |
| Sinhala | : රුපියල් දහයයි
| Thamil | : பத்து ரூபாய் |
| Size | : 146x 79 mm |
Spink Auction 16011 lot 809 |
| Back Pictorial : | Guard standing with pot of
plenty (punkalasa) in his left hand and in the other a
sprouting branch complete with leaves, buds and flowers. A
pair of midgets (Bahirawa) at on either side of his feet.
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| Denomination | : 50 Rupees |
English | : Fifty Rupees |
| Sinhala | : රුපියල් පනහයි
| Thamil | : ஐம்பது ரூபாய் |
| Size | : 159 x 89 mm |
Spink Auction 16011 lot 809 |
| Back Pictorial : | In the background Kiri Vehera with the front of lankatileke image house in medieval city of Polonnaruwa in foreground in left.
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| Denomination | : 100 Rupees |
English | : One Hundred Rupees |
| Sinhala | : රුපියල් සියයයි |
Thamil | : நூறு ரூபாய் |
| Size | : 171 x 98 mm |
Spink Auction 16011 lot 809 |
| Back Pictorial : | Sigiriya Fresco of 5th Century CE
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The front essay was not listed with Auction, or any other found online.
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| Denomination | : 1000 Rupees |
English | : One Thousand Rupees |
| Sinhala | : රුපියල් දාහයි |
Thamil | : ஆயிரம் ரூபாய் |
| Size | : 183 x 107 mm |
Spink Auction 16011 lot 809 |
| Back Pictorial : |
Lovers statue at Isurumuniya in Ancient city of Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka.
6th Century CE, Gupta style stone carving.
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Front:
On the lower 2 Denominations the lion standing left with sword in
raised right paw of the Sri Lanka Flag in circle and a blank
rectangular space for watermark on either side.
On the higher 4 Denominations Portrait of King George the VIth and
space for watermark on either side.
On top left RESERVE BANK OF CEYLON.
below which Serial Number with prefix and the legality statement
PROMISES TO PAY THE THE BEARER ON DEMAND THE SUM
Below centered in middle in large font VALUE RUPEES in two lines.
below which the Date COLOMBO 1ST JANUARY 1950.
The word GOVERNOR right of at center of bottom border leaving
space for facsimile signature.
with on either side value in Sinhala
රුපියල්,
on left, and value in Thamil
ரூபாய்
on right. Numeric Value in 4 or 3 locations.
All within a rectangular decorated border and background,
Back: On top left RESERVE BANK OF CEYLON.
Pictorial and Space for watermark.
VALUE RUPEES in two or one lines and
value in Sinhala
රුපියල්,
and value in Thamil
ரூபாய்
The essayer name is not given on essay. The back Rs 1, Rs 10, and
Rs100 used by Bradbury Wilkinson for the notes adopted in 1951.
As this went on Auction with others from the Bradbury Wilkinson
Archive of Photographic essays this too is probably done by them.
The Rs 1000 denomination was demonetised in 1945 November 15th with
all other Rs1000 and Rs500 notes previously issued and ceased to be
legal tender after 1946 January 31st. It was reissued by CBC only in 1981,
after devaluation of Rupee by a factor of more than 10 over 30 years.
An Amusing Indian Triple Lion Logo on the Rs 50 front left bottom Corner.
The notes at xx and xx dpi and displayed at
about 50 dpi if assuming height of 1952 notes of these denominations.
If you have any of missing images or denominations or images of higher resolution
please contribute to kavanr @ gmail.com
Images of 2 lowest denomination archival photographs saved from online Auction.
Rs 5 from 2019 October 2nd Spink London
Auction
19088 lot 323, which and Sold for £250+20%BP.
Higher 3 from 2016 January 16th Spink Hong Kong
Auction
16011 lot 809, which and Sold for US$575+20%BP.
The Gray-scale images of archival photographic proofs have been Sepia toned.