Island of Ceylon
2016 Fantasy Note

Denomination : 100 Rupees Colors : Dark Blue, on Light Blue and Pink BG. Size : 165 x 83 mm Date : None (2016) Print : About 300 Front :  Bust of Kandyan Dancer in ceremonial head-dress as blue engraving on left on decorative background. ISLAND OF CEYLON in white with blue outline above. ONE HUNDRED RUPEES in Blue lower center with Sinhala designation of President ජනාධිපති above it Repeated microprint ONEHUNDREDRUPEES below it within decorative panel. Numeric Denomination 100 in Blue with RUPEES below on top right. Serial Number A/A 00NNNN (A/A 000015) below it in Black. Sinhala Value රුපියල් සියයයි on bottom right. Small Text NO VALUE SPECIMEN BANKNOTE below, Back :  Stilt Fisherman on perch with rod as brown engraving on right on decorative background. ISLAND OF CEYLON in white with blue outline above. one hundred rupees in Blue lower left. Repeated microprint ONEHUNDREDRUPEES below it above decorative panel. Numeric Denomination 100 with RUPEES below on top left. Sinhala Value රුපියල් සියයයි at upper center. Small Text INTALLARE NO VALUE SPECIMEN BANKNOTE below frame centered on bottom margin. Watermark :  Interlocked Hexagons over Full sheet. UltraViolet :  Light blue and red Fibers. ¾ inch Bright light Blue Spiralogram in watermark window with word SPECIMEN in Arc below.

In the image on the right, the Watermark panel and the border of note has been highlighted to illustrate the watermark and its extent across the note.

Printed in USA the non-metric size of each note is 5⅜ by 3¼ inches.

Slovak graphic artist Matej Gabris got Tom Branton and Mick Wilson's note printed and also issued a similer note with a WHITE "100" on upper right of front like in the original 1960 essay sold on Spink. It had prefix M over G and has brighter printing than notes with prefix A over A, which is a more subtle pastel color. Mintage was about 250. #239 is published in 2019 book Money Art.

I thank designer Tom Branton for details on this issue. He says only about this original issue with BLUE "100" on upper right of front was printed (#281 seen online). For additional information of this issue, I thank dealer Richard J. Reed, who sells these notes at CurrencyBanknotes.com. He had obtained 1000 with WHITE "100" and prefix A over A. (#757 seen online). This version has the watermark and the UV fibers, but does not have the UV Spiralogram. Front with UV image of same shown below. The back is the same as above.

This fantasy note was purchased on eBay in 2016 May from dealer Robert Bird RobertsWorldMoney.com in MA USA.
. Having ordered soon after it was issued I was glad to get a low Seral Number 15. The varient was purchased from his online shop in 2021 April, after our correspondence on the note and Thank him for the low serial number 21 of that series.
They were scanned at 300 dpi and are displayed above at 50 dpi

Part of notes.lakdiva.org.lk a website for
Banknotes of Ceylon and Sri Lanka since 1785.