The Government of Ceylon : 1925 - 1928
Large Elephant Logo backed Five Rupees Note

The Large Five Rupees currency note with Elephant logo at back issued by the Board of Commissioners of Currency of The Government of Ceylon, with the standard front format of Colonial currency, with 4 Serial Numbers used since 1894. This Type of Rs 5 note has 4 dates with 3 Signature pairs between 1925 to 1928.

1928_tgo_5r_front 192x_tgoc_5r_back
LK:SCWPM #022
The Notes are 168 by 129 mm i.e. 6 1/2 by 5 inches, with a 6-inch Bar.
Printed by Thomas De La Rue & Co. Ltd., London
Paper manufactured by Thomas De La Rue & Co. Ltd.

Front : Huge outline of FIVE at center filled with horizontal microprint FIVE RUPEES, on Light Green with orange center Guilloche pattern on slightly larger Pink Guilloche pattern underprint. In Dark Brown THE GOVERNMENT OF CEYLON centered on top above Promises to pay the Bearer on Demand the Sum of the value in words FIVE RUPEES in a 6-inch bar, with on either side, a numeric 5 with RUPEES in an arc below, within a circle filled with radial-in microprint GOVERNMENTOFCEYLON. Just below the value රුපියල් පහයි in Sinhala to left, and ஐந்து ரூபாய் in Thamil on right. Colombo, date: day Month Year, centered below. Two facsimile signatures at center bracketed with COMMISSIONERS OF CURRENCY. in two lines to right. The Red Serial number above and below on both left and right, the upper two on a pair of ellipses which are filled with Light Brown radial-out microprint FIVERUPEES. In panel in two lines FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF CEYLON bottom left.
Printer name THOS.DE LA RUE & CO LTD LONDON. in tiny font at upper edge of bottom margin at left.

click to see Watermark on issued note

images/1928_tgoc_5r_wm.jpg Back : At center a floral design in Green including the Armorial Crest of British Ceylon of an Elephant facing forward with 4 coconut palms on each side and mountains in background.
Watermark : At center a huge dark 5 with Light shadow to lower right with similar smaller CEYLON below with light Elephant and Dagaba above on either side. Shape of Dagaba bell shaped on left, bubble shaped on right. Note: No lightening conductor on Dagaba.

Signatures of Commissioners of CurrencyDate on BankNoteFirst Serial #Mintage
in K

E. B. Alexander

W. W. Woods
1stDecember 1925 C/1 00001 1000

A. G. M. Fletcher

W. W. Woods
1st June 1926 C/ll 00001 3100

A. G. M. Fletcher

F. J. Smith
1st September 1927 C/42 00001 2600

A. G. M. Fletcher

W. W. Woods
1st September 1928 C/68 00001 3200
D/1 00001 200

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 VF- note was scanned at 300 dpi and displayed at 50 dpi.
Note was photographed on light Table with a bright background and Transformed with digitally to get watermark image.