This composite image made from the images posted on the eBay Auctions proves absolutely that these notes were Rubber Stamped with LTTE Logo in 2012 November in the UK, few years after the LTTE ceased to exist in Sri Lanka in 2009 May.
This composite image made from the images posted on the eBay Auctions
proves absolutely that these notes were Rubber Stamped with LTTE Logo
in 2012 November in the UK, few years after the LTTE ceased to exist in
Sri Lanka in 2009 May.
After I had located in 2003 in Jaffna an LTTE Gold Token I was on the lookout for currency about which I had heard rumours, now resolved, but was not so in 2012.
When I saw Sri Lanka BankNotes rubber-stamped with Thamil Text and LTTE logo,
a Rs 50 Auction
and a Rs 10 Auction
that claimed to be from the LTTE era, I bid without investigating and
won one. It was however soon apparent to me they were fake and was able
to cancel the bid before payment.
The Thamil Text of Rubber Stamp
தமிழ் ஈழம்
பேங்க்
கருபீஸ
(Tamiḻīḻam pēṅk karupīsa)
= Tamil Eelam Bank Corp.
did not match the Thamil Text
தமிழீழ
வைப்பகம்
(Tamiḻīḻa vaippakam = Tamil Eelam Bank,
used for the bank name shown on right, that was seen on the Branches
of the Bank of TamilEelam
in the pre 2009, LTTE held territory in Sri Lanka.
The Bank of Tamil Eelam was suspended on 2009 January 2, following the
capture of Kilinochchi which had been the administrative capital of
self-proclaimed Tamil Eelam.
Investigation of items previously purchased by the seller for which he had got feedback as a buyer, identified the eBay Auction on 2012 Oct 12th at which he had purchased the same circulated Sri Lanka BankNotes and even the eBay Auction at which he had purchased an ink-pad as well and an eBay Auction at which he had purchased a DVD titled The Counterfeiters.on 2012 Oct 21st.
In the same photobucket.com folder from which eBay seller gr8saree
hosted these fantasy "LTTE" over-stamped Sri Lanka banknote images on
eBay listing, I found Polish and German Notes with
rubber-stamps of
Nazi Swastika and Star of David etc.
Looking at items for which seller had got feedback as buyer, I found
purchases on eBay of same, but unstamped Polish and German notes.
I did not bother to write it up, as I did not consider this cheap scam
worthy of attention and my time to document it.
I informed George Cuhaj editor of SCWPM to ensure that these fakes
don't get listed. They were not rubber stamped by LTTE.
I know of one Sri Lankan collector who purchased one on eBay before he knew of my identification of them as Fakes and another who said what he purchased had been stopped by Sri Lanka Customs, identified as terrorist material. He decided to abandon it, and not claim it.
However, when after 7 years I found them listed in Numismomdo.Net. I informed Garry Saint and decided to write it up, as the comment Garry put at end of that page is insufficient to convince any collector they are definitively Fake. These fake notes still appear for sale on eBay.
I thank Achela Perera for some of the investigations back in 2012 December.
References Quora
