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

The Two 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 2 note has 14 dates with 12 Signature pairs between 1925 to 1939, with 4 distinct color varieties as well depending on year of issue. As they were also issued in booklets from 1926, 13 Dates have two varieties left edge perforated or straight.

1925_tgoc_2r_front 19xx_tgoc_2r_back
Type A Red Serials 1925-26
TWO in Green on Light Brown
Back
1929_tgoc_2r_front 19xx_tgoc_2r_watermark
Type B Red Serials 1927-29
TWO in Yellow on Light Brown
WaterMark
1931_tgoc_2r_front 1939_tgoc_2r_cover
Type C Black Serials 1930-34
TWO in Green on Light Green
Booklet
1938_tgoc_2r_front 1932_tgoc_2r_5-SecretMarks
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 CurrencyDate on BankNoteFirst 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 CurrencyDate on BankNoteFirst 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 CurrencyDate on BankNoteFirst 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 CurrencyDate on BankNoteFirst 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.

TypeRange inYearSerial on Background TWO on Background
A1925-19261925Red Light GreenGreen Light Brown
B1927-19291929Red Light BrownYellowLight Brown
C1930-19341931Black Light GreenGreen Light Green
D1935-19391938Dark GreenLight GreenGreen 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.

As of 2018 Krause (SCWPM) and Owen Linzmeyer Banknote catalogs identify only 2 of the Colour Types.

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.