The Government of Ceylon : 1925 - 1939
Elephant Logo backed Two Rupees Note

Type A Red Serials 1925-26 TWO in Green on Light Brown	Back
Type B Red Serials 1927-29 TWO in Yellow on Light Brown	WaterMark
Type C Black Serials 1930-34 TWO in Green on Light Green	Booklet
Type D Dark Green Serials 1935-39 TWO in Green on Light Green	5 SecretMarks adopted in 1932
LK:SCWPM #021

With a 4½-inch Bar, the Notes are 127 by 76 mm i.e. 5 by 3 inches and with a ½ inch perforated counterfoil the booklets are 5½ inches wide.
Printed by Thomas De La Rue & Co. Ltd., London
on Paper manufactured by Porttals Ltd.

Front : Huge Green or Yellow Green outline of TWO at center filled with horizontal microprint TWO RUPEES, on Light Brown or Green Guilloche pattern on slightly larger Purple 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 TWO RUPEES in a 4.5-inch bar, with on either side, a numeric 2 within an octagon with sides arced in, filled with radial-in microprint CEYLONGOVT. Just below the value රුපියල් දෙකයි in Sinhala to left, and இரண்டு ரூபாய் in Thamil on right. Colombo, Date: day Month Year, centered below. Two facsimile signatures right of center bracketed with The Red, Black, or Dark Green Serial number on above and below on both left and right in ellipse filled with radial-out microprint TWORUPEES. COMMISSIONERS OF CURRENCY. in two lines to right. FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF CEYLON in two lines in panel at bottom left.
Printer name THOS.DE LA RUE & CO LTD LONDON. in tiny font at upper edge of bottom margin below.
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.
Water-mark : Large dark TWO RUPEES in top and Light GOVERNMENT OF CEYLON at Bottom with Elephant and Dagaba Bubble shaped with Parasol and lightning conductor on either side higher on left and lower on right. Note that the Dagaba has parasol above the dome rather than a Conical pinnacle as in Dagaba of other watermarks.

Type A Red Serials - TWO in Green on Light Brown

Signatures of Commissioners of Currency		Date on BankNote	First Serial #	Mintage in K	Booklets
E. B. Alexander	W. W. Woods	1stOctober 1925	H/1 00001	3100
A. G. M. Fletcher	W. W. Woods	1st June 1926	H/32 00001	2000
			H/52 00001	500	20K LK
			H/57 00001	100
			H/58 00001	700	28K LK

Type B Red Serials - TWO in Yellow on Light Brown

Signatures of Commissioners of Currency		Date on BankNote	First Serial #	Mintage in K	Booklets
A. G. M. Fletcher	F. J. Smith	1st September 1927	H/65 00001	2000
			H/85 00001	1000	40k
			H/95 00001	100
A. G. M. Fletcher	W. W. Woods	1st September 1928	H/96 00001	400	16K
			J/1 00001	1100	44K
			J/12 00001	3100
F. G. Tyrrell	W. W. Woods	1st July 1929	J/43 00001	2000
			J/63 00001	1000	40K

Type C Black Serials - TWO in Green on Light Green

Signatures of Commissioners of Currency		Date on BankNote	First Serial #	Mintage in K	Booklets
B. H. Bourdillon	W. W. Woods	10th September 1930	J/73 00001	2000
			J/93 00001	700	28K
			K/l 00001	300	12K
W. W. Woods	F. G. Tyrrell	9th July 1931	K/4 00001	2500
			K/29 00001	1500	60K
			K/44 00001	100
Removed bar between the Letter and number of Serial prefix
W. W. Woods	W. E. Wait	1st August 1932	K/4 00001	2500
			K/29 00001	1500	60K
			K/44 00001	100
			Full complement of 5 SecretMarks incorporated.
			K 55 00001	500
			K 60 00001	500	20K
H. J. Huxham	W. E. Wait	2nd July 1934	K 65 00001	2000
			K 85 00001	750	30K
			K 92 50001	100

Type D Dark Green Serials - TWO in Green on Light Green

Signatures of Commissioners of Currency		Date on BankNote	First Serial #	Mintage in K	Booklets
C. H. Collins	G. S. Wodeman	26th June 1935	K 93 50001	650
			L 1 00001	1450
			L 14 50001	750	30K
			L 22 00001	100
H. J. Huxham	M. M. Wedderburn	18th June 1936	L 23 00001	2000
			L 43 00001	750	30K
			L 50 50001	100
C. H. Collins	R. M. M. Worsley	24th July 1937	L 51 50001	2000
			L 71 50001	750	30K
H. J. Huxham	G. S. Wodeman	10th November 1938	L 79 00001	2000
			L 99 00001	100	4K
			M 1 00001	650	26K
			M 7 50001	50
		2nd October 1939	M 8 00001	2000
			M 28 00001	750	30K
			M 35 50001	50

Flags: LK Booklets bound locally; Booklets issued with 25 Notes each with single staple on left on ½ inch (13 mm) perforated counterfoil with beige soft board covers on front and back. Printed on front cover at center in Green huge Rs. 2.

Type	Range in	Year	Serial on Background		TWO on Background
A	1925-1926	1925	Red	Light Green	Green	Light Brown
B	1927-1929	1929	Red	Light Brown	Yellow	Light Brown
C	1930-1934	1931	Black	Light Green	Green	Light Green
D	1935-1939	1938	Dark Green	Light Green	Green	Light Green
			All above with Dark Brown Bars and Text.

The is some significant variety in the colors used on Two Rupee Note. Listed above are 4 types.
There maybe more. Of the 14 Years I have 5 and images from Internet Auctions for all the other Years.
Need to look carefully at original note to get colors. Dark Green and Dark Brown can look like Black.
Although unlikely need to confirm it did not change midway in a year.
So please also check any you have with colours I have stated on this page.
If you have notes that differ from table above please send an image to confirm colours.

• Type A. 1925 1926
• Type B. 1927 1928 1929
• Type C. 1930 1931 1932 1934
• Type D. 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939

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- notes were scanned at 300 dpi and displayed at 50 dpi.
Note was photographed on light Table with a bright background and Enhanced Digitally to get watermark image.
I thank Thomas Hockenhull of British Museum for permission to image the 2r Proof with SecretMarks in Study Room on 2023 May 25th. Need to try get better image without the bright reflection of overhead tube light on the protective cover.