Thomas De La Rue Essay for
Central Bank of Ceylon
with date 1977-1-1

Appears to be a modification proposed by Thomas De La Rue to replace the SWRD image on higher denominations with a politically neutral chakra. The date neatly written below lower left corner of essay is 1977 March 28th which is surprisingly before the landslide victory of the UNP in 1977 July 21st General Elections. Bradbury Wilkinson got the order using the Sri Lanka Armorial Ensign of 1972 and was dated 1977-08-26

Design layout of front is very similar in lot of it's detail, and the back identical to the 1970 notes. After the rushed contract of 1970 for the demonetization, the Printing of Ceylon Banknotes was returned to Bradbury Wilkinson. Thomas De La Rue was clearly trying to get back the contract.

Denomination : 50 Rupees Base Color : Blue Under-print : Pink Orange & Yellow English : Fifty Rupees Sinhala :  රුපියල් පනහයි Thamil : ஐம்பது ரூபாய் Size : 151 x 79 mm Online Auction
Denomination : 100 Rupees Base Color : Brown Under-print : Pink, Olive & Yellow English : One Hundred Rupees Sinhala :  රුපියල් සියයයි Thamil : நூறு ரூபாய் Size : 162 x 86 mm Spink Auction 14013 lot 266

Front: On center right, A circular Chakra based on rotation of the Moonstone from medieval city of Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka.
At top ශ්‍රී ලංකා මහ බැංකුව in Sinhala, with இலங்கை மத்திய வங்கி in Thamil and CENTRAL BANK OF CEYLON below in English above ශ්‍රී ලංකාණ්ඩුව වෙනුවෙන් නිකුත් කරන ලද මේ මුදල් නෝට්ටුව ශ්‍රී ලංකාව ඇතුළත ඕනෑම මුදල් ගණනක් ගෙවිම සඳහා නිතියෙන් වලංගුය in three lines. The Numeric date 1977-1-1 without leading zero below Facsimile signatures in Sinhala of N. M. Perera above මුදල් ඈමති, and of William Tennekoon above මහ බැංකුවේ අධිපති. Value in Sinhala රුපියල් Thamil ரூபாய் and English RUPEES Two Serial Nos at lower left and upper Right.

The Moonstone is conceptually a half-Moon and is always that way when used at base of steps leading to an entrance. Rotation to make a chakra was even proposed in 1954 as a Symbol of State. That was a rotation of the Anuradhapura Moonstone which has 3¼ sequences of 4 Animals Lion Elephant Horse and Bull representing the 4 cardinal directions NESW. The Polonnaruwa Moonstone has an arc of 14 Elephants in various poses, and an outer arc of 31 swans and an inner arc 12 seated Horses which are almost the same. This chakra has twice this number of figures.

The notes at xx and xx dpi are displayed at about 50 dpi if assuming height of 1977 notes.
If you have any of missing images or images of higher resolution please contribute to kavanr @ gmail.com

Rs50 from 2014 September 20th, Spink Auction lots 267 sold for £900+44%BP+V.