The Government of Ceylon : 1887-1894-01
Two Serial Number facsimile signed Currency Notes

The Uniface currency notes in Rupees issued by the Board of Commissioners of Currency of The Government of Ceylon, with the standard front format of Colonial currency. This Type with only two Serial numbers has 3 known dates with 3 Signature pairs from 1887 and 1894 January. There could have been unrecorded denominations of Rs 50 and/or unknown dates between 1887 and 1894 when notes were issued.

images/1891-07-01_tgoc_5r_A10-93815_f.jpg 1887_tgoc_5r_watermark
LK:SCWPM #011Highlighted Watermark image
Click image to see 300 dpi resolution circulated 1891 note

The Five Rupees ( රුපියල් පහයි in Sinhala; ஐந்து ரூபாய் in Thamil ) Notes
are 165 by 127 mm i.e. 6½ by 5 inches, with 6-inch Bar.
Date on BankNoteSignatures of
Commissioners of Currency		First Serial #Mintage
in K
1st January, 1887 Cecil C. Smith & W. H. Ravenscroft A/2 50001
1st July, 1891 E. Noel Walker & F. R. Saunders A/?? ??001

1887-01_tgoc_10r_watermark
LK:SCWPM #012Highlighted Watermark image

The Ten Rupees ( රුපියල් දහයයි in Sinhala; பத்து ரூபாய் in Thamil ) Notes
are 203 by 127 mm i.e. 8 by 5 inches, with 6-inch Bar.
Date on BankNoteSignatures of
Commissioners of Currency		First Serial #Mintage
in K
Dates Unknown Signatures Unknown B/? 00001 ?
1st January, 1894 E. Noel Walker & F. R. Saunders B/?? ??001

The Fifty Rupees ( රුපියල් පනහයි in Sinhala; ஐம்பது ரூபாய் in Thamil ) Notes
are 216 by 120 mm i.e. 8½ by 4¾ inches with 7-inch Bar.
Date on BankNoteSignatures of
Commissioners of Currency		First Serial #Mintage
in K
Dates Unknown Signatures Unknown C/? 00001 ?

The Hundred Rupees ( රුපියල් සියයයි in Sinhala; நூறு ரூபாய் in Thamil ) Notes
are 216 by 146 mm i.e. 8½ by 5¾ inches with 7½-inch Bar.
Date on BankNoteSignatures of
Commissioners of Currency		First Serial #Mintage
in K
1st January, 1887 Cecil C. Smith & W. H. Ravenscroft D/1 05001 4.5
1st July, 1891 E. Noel Walker & F. R. Saunders D/1 09501 15.0

Printed by Thomas De La Rue & Co., London
Handmade paper manufactured by Messrs Portals.

Front : Black and Green on White paper with huge VALUE at center background. THE GOVERNMENT OF CEYLON centered on top above Promises to pay the Bearer on Demand the Sum of. In a bar the value in words VALUE RUPEES with Micro printing of same around. On either side, a numeric # with RUPEES in an arc below, within a circle. Just below the value Denomination in Sinhala to left, and in Thamil on right. The Black Serial number above on both left and right, with Colombo, 1st Month 18__ centered below. In panel in two lines FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF CEYLON with Micro printing of same around at bottom left with Two facsimile signatures at right and COMMISSIONERS OF CURRENCY. below. Printer name THOS.DE LA RUE & CO LONDON. at bottom left.
Back : Blank
Water-mark : At center huge VALUE RUPEES in 2 lines dark with light shadow to lower right. A vertical triple ZigZag lines dark with light between to right, and light Elephant and Dagaba Bubble shaped with Pinnacle and lightning conductor to the upper left with a light leafy liyavala below it. Centered below within decorative panel with light rectangular border THE GOVERNMENT OF CEYLON dark with light outline.

Signatures of Commissioners of CurrencyDate on BankNote

Cecil C. Smith
W. H. Ravenscroft 		1st January 1887

E. Noel Walker
F. R. Saunders 		1st July 1891
1st January 1894

The Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes were authorised for issue by the 1884 Monetary Act. The Annual "Blue Book" with Financial Accounts of the Government of Ceylon for 1887, 1888 and 1889 list the Rs500 and Rs1000 currency notes as circulating. In 1890(p288) they are removed from list with an reduction of exactly Rs150,000 from currency in circulation. Could this imply that about a hundred each of Rs500 and Rs1000 notes were printed/issued in 1887 and all removed from circulation in 1890 and destroyed.
Year Circulation Change Denominations page
1887 Rs 5,171,705 +159,540 5,10,50,100,500,1000 p438
1888 Rs 5,529,705 +358,000 5,10,50,100,500,1000 p442
1889 Rs 6.444,375 +914,670 5,10,50,100,500,1000 P282
1890 Rs 6.294,375 -150,000 5,10,50,100 P288

The notes were demonetized with all notes dated before January 1, 1940 on 1946 April 13th and ceased to be legal tender with effect July 31, 1946.

The details of this issue are from Sri Lanka Currency of Recent Times 1938-1985 T. M. U. Sallay, 1986 Colombo:Central Bank of Sri Lanka.

The 166(Rs5) and 86(Rs10) dpi image of proof specimen from Spink Auction, is displayed at 50 dpi.
Same image was digitally contrast enhanced to highlight the watermark.
I thank Owen Linzmayer for sending me the 300 dpi image of circulated 1891 Rs5 note.
Existence of Rs 50 and Rs 100 notes of this type is possible, but specimens unrecorded.
The watermark image was Photoshoped from an image of a sheet of four Rs 5 and Rs10 watermark papers posted in 2022 July Spink Auction 22177 Lot 107 and Lot 108 which each sold for £1178 including BP and VAT. The watermarks for 1887 as seen faintly on Banknote is observed to be similar as these for 1887.
Note that if Banknote has photographed with a black background and digital contrast enhanced, it effectively inverts Dark to light and light to dark as seen faintly on these Banknote images. It is best to image Watermarks with a bright light behind.