The Oriental Bank
Ceylon Branch - 1846-1850 - Colombo

Denomination : 10 Shillings Note Color : Unknown English : Ten Shillings Sinhala : පවුඬ්බාගයයි Thamil : அரைப் பவுண்ட் Size : 200 x 121 mm Date : 1846 - 1850 Status : Specimen
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Denomination : 1 Pound Note Color : Unknown English : One Pound Sinhala : පවඬ්එකයි Thamil : ஒருபவுண்ட் Size : 199 x 119 mm Date : 1846 - 1850 Status : Specimen
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Denomination : 5 Pounds Note Color : Unknown English : Five Pounds Sinhala : පවඬ්පහයි Thamil : ஐந்துபவுண்ட் Size : 200 x 121 mm Date : 1846 - 1850 Status : Specimen
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Denomination : 10 Pounds Note Color : Unknown English : Ten Pounds Sinhala : පවඬ්දහයි Thamil : பத்துபவுண்ட் Size : 200 x 121 mm Date : 1846 - 1850 Status : Specimen
Pick-lk Unlisted

Front : On a decorated rectangular wide border centered on top CEYLON BRANCH. on bottom, Denomination පවඬ් in Sinhala on left and Denomination பவுண்ட் in Thamil on Right with 4 petal flower at center. Name of Bank கிழக்குபங்க் in Thamil on left border and පුවෙදිගමුදල්නිධානය in Sinhala on right border. Within border on top Center, crowned British Royal Coat of arms within belt with legend HONO SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE with front of Unicorn chained with garter on left and front of lion facing forward on right and four flags on either side behind. Lion standing left on crown. Below in scroll DIEU ET MON DROIT
On either side numeric Denomination with unit below in decorate, with above පවඬ් Denomination in Sinhala on right and in Denomination பவுண்ட் in Thamil on left, and N^o for Seriel below. Below COLOMBO on left and ____ 18__ on right.
Within shaded rectangle THE ORIENTAL BANK Promises to pay Bearer on demand at the Office of its Branch here in the Currency of the Island DENOMINATION POUNDS Value received
Below BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS above in one line Ent^d _____ ACC^T ______ MANAGER
In small text just below shaded rectangle Batho & Bingley on left and Lombard S^t. London
In place of signature BATHO & BINGLEY, 56 Lombard Street, London. SPECIMEN. on right in 3 lines.
Back : Need to Findout. Blank ?
WaterMark : None on these Specimens
Printed : Batho & Bingley, 56 Lombard Street, London.
Size : Estimated by measurement of Certified Specimen currency note scaled by size of PMG Certification panel derived from a similer PMG certified modern currency note of known size, and assuming size was adopted in inches is same for every denomination.

The Name of Bank පුවෙදිග මුදල් නිධානය in Sinhala is translated as FarEast Cash Treasury, and கிழக்கு பங்க் as East Bank in Thamil is partly Translated. It appears only in this first series of currency notes issued by the Oriental Bank - Ceylon Branch. The name of bank in Sinhala and Thamil is excluded in ALL subsequent note series issued by The Oriental Bank Corporation.

Not seen images of any issued Notes to confirm if Color of Note is same as that of B&W Specimen. Also if there were any hand Stamping like on the similer Notes of the Merchant Bank of India, London and China.

Text and Images from Spink and Heritage Auction listings 10s, £1, £5 and £10.

Images estimated to be 60(10s), 127(£1), 220(£5) and 220(£10) dpi displayed at 50  dpi.
If higher quality image is available please contribute. Thanks.

The £5 and £10 sold on Heritage Auction 4004 on 2018 August 17th for US$5040 and US$5520 including Buyers Premium. I thank Heritage Auctions for sending High Resolution images which showed that these Specimens have no watermark.

Please contact kavan @ gmail.com if I have made errors in encoding the Thamil in Unicode.