The Oriental Bank Corporation
1870-1880 - Colombo

Currency Notes in Rupees issued from 1870 to 1880 by The Oriental Bank Corporation in Colombo, with an engraving of Royal Crest.

Denomination: 50 Rupees
Note Color: Unknown
English : Fifty Rupees
Sinhala : රුපියල්පනහයි
Thamil : ஐம்பதுரூபாய்
Size : 197 x 122 mm
Date : 1870 - 1880
Status : Proof
 Back image was not found online.
If available please contribute. Thanks.
Pick-lk S144a
Denomination: 100 Rupees
Note Color: Green
English : Hundred Rupees
Sinhala : රුපියල්සියයයි
Thamil : நூறுரூபாய்
Size : 191 x 122 mm
Date : 1stJany 1876
Status : Signed
images/obb/1876_obc_cmb_100r_110211459_f.jpg images/obb/1876_obc_cmb_100r_bmc_r_b.jpg
Click to see asigned note. Pick-lk S146a Click to see original scan before PhotoShop

Front : A decorated rectangular wide border with no text. Within border on top Center, below arced legend INCORPORATED BY ROYAL CHARTER Crowned British Royal Coat of arms within belt with legend HONO SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE supported by crowned rampant lion on left and unicorn chained with garter on right. Lion standing left on crown. Below DIEU ET MON DROIT in scroll.
On either side alpha-numeric Denomination with unit below in decorate, with above රුපියල් Denomination in Sinhala on left and Denomination ரூபாய் in Thamil on right, with Seriel No below. Centered below COLOMBO, CEYLON with Date as Day Month Year.
Within shaded rectangle
THE ORIENTAL BANK CORPORATION Promises to pay Bearer on demand at the Office here DENOMINATION RUPEES Value received
Below By Order of the Court of Directors above in one line
Entd _____ Accountt ______ Manager
Below design small script Perkins Bacon & Co, London. Patent Hardened Steel Plate..
Back : Two Spirographic design diagonally same at 4 corners and engraving at center, different for each denomination.
Rs 100 has at Center a Romantic scene of Neptune(Poseidon) God of the Sea with trident, in a chariot drawn by Seahorses frolicking with cherubs.
R. Smirke R.A. del. is small script in lower left of engraving.
Watermark : ORIENTAL BANK in downward arc above CORPORATION in line below darker than paper
Printed : Perkins Bacon & Co, London.
Size : Estimated assuming size of 1875 Rs 100 circulated note which is published with (181x122 mm) size in SACPM (1981). Assumed size adopted in inches, and same height for every denomination.

Virginia Hewitt comments on reverse of Rs 100 note no doubt a reference to Britain ruling tha waves, and therefore the sea-brone trade ... an exact prototype for this vignette can be found on a trial note design Perkins submitted to the Bank of England circa 1819 to 1821. ... a very striking instance of western authority, design and mythology being applied to a different culture.

Text and Images from Spink Auction listings Rs 50 and Rs 100.
Images estimated to be 65/260(Rs100) dpi and displayed at 50 dpi.

The BMC image of the back of Rs 100 from Virginia Hewitt's 1994 paper on Paper Money for Ceylon printed in England was PhotoShoped to make engraving clear.

Known Denomination, Date and Serial Numbers 

1870-1880 Colombo -     Rs  50  1876-01-01
                  -     Rs 100  1875-03-01
                  -     Rs 100  1876-01-01   C6701 C7757(BMC)
If you know of a Rs 50 or Rs 100 note issued by Oriental Bank Corporation in Colombo with date between 1870 and 1880 unrecorded above, Please contact kavan @ gmail.com with an image. Thank You