TDLR Essay for Central Bank of Ceylon
with date 1978-2-4

Appears to be a modification proposed by Thomas De La Rue to replace Sri Lanka Armorial Ensign of 1972 constitution with the adoption on 1978-2-4 a new constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. The date neatly written below lower left corner of essay is 1978 May 4th. This Chakra based on the Polonnaruwa moonstone was also proposed by them with an essay dated 1977-1-1 done in 1977 March 28th.

Design layout is very similar to the 1970 notes in lot of it's detail. After the rushed contract of 1970 for the demonetization, the Printing of Ceylon Banknotes was returned to Bradbury Wilkinson. Thomas De La Rue was clearly trying to get back the contract.

Denomination : 2 Rupees Base Color : Brown Under-print : Yellow, Orange & Blue English : Two Rupees Sinhala :  රුපියල් දෙකයි Thamil : இரண்டு ரூபாய் Size : 114 x 59 mm Spink Auction 15009 lot 174 Front Pictorial :  At center of background decoration a seated Godess facing forward. Back Pictorial :  On left Farmer plowing Paddy Field with a pair of Buffalo, two other persons standing in river and coconut estate in background with a single coconut palm in foreground on right of image.
Denomination : 5 Rupees Base Color : Red Under-print : Mauve & Yellow English : Five Rupees Sinhala :  රුපියල් පහයි Thamil : ஐந்து ரூபாய் Size : 125 x 64 mm Spink Auction 15008 lot 2725 Front Pictorial :  At center of background decoration a Mythical couple. Hibiscus flowers on left. Back Pictorial :  On left Coastal Shoreline with two catamarans on sand in foreground on left of image and three more in distance. Six fishermen pulling in a net from sea, coconut estate in background. Hibiscus flowers on right.
Denomination : 50 Rupees Base Color : Brown-Purple Under-print : Green Orange & Yellow English : Fifty Rupees Sinhala :  රුපියල් පනහයි Thamil : ஐம்பது ரூபாய் Size : 151 x 79 mm Spink Auction 14013 lot 268 Front Pictorial :  At center of background decoration Makara Thorana with Guards on either side. Cattleya Orchids on left. Back Pictorial :  On left Sigiriya Rock with behind lake with four Deer grazing in foreground. Orchids at lower right.
The front essay image was not found from an in online Auction.
Denomination : 100 Rupees Base Color : Gray Under-print : Pink Orange & Yellow English : One Hundred Rupees Sinhala :  රුපියල් සියයයි Thamil : நூறு ரூபாய் Size : 162 x 86 mm Online Auction Front Pictorial :  At center of background decoration - Unknown Back Pictorial :  On left Jungle scene with family of Five Elephants towards back-right just after crossing a river. Lotus at lower right border.

Front: On center right, Chakra based on rotation of the Moonstone from medieval city of Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka.
At top ශ්‍රී ලංකා මහ බැංකුව in Sinhala, with இலங்கை மத்திய வங்கி in Thamil and CENTRAL BANK OF CEYLON below in English above ලංකාණ්ඩුව වෙනුවෙන් නිකුත් කරන ලද මේ මුදල් නෝට්ටුව ලංකාව ඇතුළත ඕනෑම මුදල් ගණනක් ගෙවිම සඳහා නිතියෙන් වලංගුය in three lines. The Numeric date 1978-2-4 without leading zero below Facsimile signatures in Sinhala of N. M. Perera above මුදල් ඈමති, and of William Tennekoon above මහ බැංකුවේ අධිපති. Value in Sinhala රුපියල් Thamil ரூபாய் and English RUPEES Two Serial Nos at lower left and upper Right.
Back: On right a Pictorial scene of Sri Lanka.
On top ශ්‍රී ලංකා මහ බැංකුව in Sinhala, இலங்கை மத்திய வங்கி in Thamil and CENTRAL BANK OF CEYLON in English below. Value in Sinhala රුපියල් Thamil ரூபாய் and English RUPEES Printers name at bottom margin in small script
THOMAS DE LA RUE & COMPANY LIMITED

The Moonstone is conceptually a half-Moon and is always that way when used at base of steps leading to an entrance. Rotation to make a chakra was even proposed in 1954 as a Symbol of State. That was a rotation of the Anuradhapura Moonstone which has 3¼ sequences of 4 Animals Lion Elephant Horse and Bull representing the 4 cardinal directions NESW. The Polonnaruwa Moonstone has an arc of 14 Elephants in various poses, and an outer arc of 31 swans and an inner arc 12 seated Horses which are almost the same. This chakra has twice this number of figures.

The Rs10 and Rs100 (Front) of essay this Series was not found in Archived Online Auction so far and may have sold on private sale.

The notes at xx, xx and xx dpi are displayed at about 50 dpi if assuming height of 1977 notes.
If you have any of missing images or images of higher resolution please contribute to kavanr @ gmail.com

Rs2 from 2015 September 29th, Spink Auction lots 174 and Rs5 from 2015 April 29th, Spink Auction lots 2725 and Rs50 from 2014 September 30th, Spink Auction lots 268 sold for a total of £3100+44%BP+V.