Government of Ceylon
King George VI - 1st July 1939
Essay of a partial series of notes with King George VI with date
1st July 1939. With the legality statement with
no Promise to Pay and words Legal Tender used on Ceylon
Banknotes only after 1941 September. These essays were probably done
in 1941 by the Currency Printing Press (CNP established 1928) for the
Commissioners of Currency of Ceylon, putting a fictitious older date.
Born on 1895 December 14th, Prince George, ascended to the throne on
1936 December 11th, on abdication of his brother King Edward VIII.
George VI, and was coronated on 1937 May 12th.
|
The back essay image was
not found from an online Auction.
|
| Denomination | : 10 Rupees |
English | : Ten Rupees |
| Sinhala | : රුපියල් දහයයි
| Thamil | : பத்து ரூபாய் |
| Size | : 152x 102 mm
| Online Auction
| | Front Pictorial : |
Carter in Traditional Cart pulled by 2 Bulls. Coconut Palms in Background.
| | Back Pictorial : | Unknown
|
|
| 
|
| Denomination | : 50 Rupees |
English | : Fifty Rupees |
| Sinhala | : රුපියල් පනහයි
| Thamil | : ஐம்பது ரூபாய் |
| Size | : 165 x 114 mm
| Spink Auction 11021 lot 1481 |
| Front Pictorial : |
Temple of the Tooth and Kandy Lake with some coconut palms in foreground.
| | Back Pictorial : |
Sinhala Women with child both facing forward between trunks of two coconut palms.
Thatched House in Background.
|
|
| 
|
| Denomination | : 100 Rupees |
English | : One Hundred Rupees |
| Sinhala | : රුපියල් සියයයි |
Thamil | : நூறு ரூபாய் |
| Size | : 178 x 127 mm
| Spink Auction 11021 lot 1482 |
| Front Pictorial : |
Entrance to Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara
| | Back Pictorial : |
Columns of a temple near Thuparama Dagoba in Ancient city of Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka.
|
|
The front essay image was
not found from an online Auction.
| 
|
| Denomination | : 1000 Rupees |
English | : Thousand Rupees |
| Sinhala | : රුපියල් දාහයි
| Thamil | : ஆயிரம் ரூபாய்
| | Size | : 191x 140 mm
| Private Sale
| | Front Pictorial : | Unknown
| | Back Pictorial : | Anuradhapura, The Rock Temple of Issurumuniya
|
|
|
The back essay image was
not found from an online Auction.
|
| Denomination | : 10000 Rupees |
English | : Ten Thousand Rupees |
| Sinhala | : රුපියල් දසදාහයි
| Thamil | : பதினாயிரவ் ரூபாய்
| | Size | : 191x 140 mm
| Private Sale
| | Front Pictorial : | Colombo Harbour and Jetty
| | Back Pictorial : | Unknown
|
|
Front: GOVERNMENT OF CEYLON in Banner on top.
below which legality statement in small text
THESE NOTES ARE LEGAL TENDER IN CEYLON FOR THE PAYMENT OF ANY AMOUNT
VALUE RUPEES and
dummy value in Sinhala
රුපියල් දහයයි
and dummy value in Thamil
பத்து ரூபாய்
Portrait of George VI facing left in oval in upper left,
and blank watermark space in circle on lower right.
Date COLOMBO 1ST JULY 1939.
In two lines each FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF CEYLON on left
and FOR COMMISSIONERS OF CURRENCY on right.
Numeric Value in lower two or all 4 corners.
Two Serial Numbers with prefix on lower left and upper right.
All within a rectangular decorated border.
Back: GOVERNMENT OF CEYLON in Banner on top.
Below VALUE RUPEES and dummy value in Sinhala
රුපියල් දහයයි
and dummy value in Thamil
பத்து ரூபாய்.
Blank watermark space in circle on lower left.
All within a rectangular decorated border.
The Rs 10 essay has the CNP logo on the watermark blank space and is dated 1st July 1938.
However by style it is clearly part of this series of essays.
In the Rs50, Rs100, Rs1000 and Rs10,000 essays the denomination value
in Sinhala රුපියල් දහයයි
and Tamil பத்து ரூபாய் are written in error and does not match English and Numerical Value.
The notes at xx,xx and xx dpi and displayed at
about 50 dpi if assuming height of 1941 notes.
If you have any of missing images or images of higher resolution
please contribute to kavanr @ gmail.com
Rs 50 and Rs 100 essays were the only two non 19th century items
in Spink 2011 April 14th auction which was cancelled at start of Auction.
They were listed for a Total Estimate of £6500-£8500.
I thank the owner for the contribution of images of the back of the
Rs1000 and the Front of the Rs10,000 which he had obtained by private
sale.