The Government of Ceylon : 1929 - 1939
Small Elephant Logo backed Five Rupees Note

The Small 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 10 dates with 9 Signature pairs between 1929 to 1939. As they were also issued in booklets from all Dates since 1929 and have two varieties left edge perforated or straight.

1939_tgoc_5r_front 19xx_tgoc_5r_back
1932_tgoc_5r_5-Secret-Marks 193x_tgoc_5r_watermark
LK:SCWPM #021
With a 4¾-inch Bar the Notes are 140 by 89 mm i.e. 5½ by 3½ inches and with ½ inch perforated counterfoil the booklets are 6 inches wide.
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 at bottom left.
Printer name THOS.DE LA RUE & CO LTD LONDON. in tiny font at upper edge of bottom margin below left.
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. Light Elephant and Dagaba with Pinnacle above on either side, with shape of Dagaba bell shaped on left, bubble shaped on right. Note No lightning conductor on Dagaba.

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

F. G. Tyrrell

W. W. Woods
1st July 1929 D/3 0000l 3000
D/33 00001 500 25K

B. H. Bourdillon

W. W. Woods
10th September 1930 D/38 00001 1500
D/53 00001 750 37.5K
D/60 50001 50

W. W. Woods

F. G. Tyrrell
9th July 1931 D/61 00001 1000
D/71 00001 500 20K
D/76 00001 50
Removed bar between the Letter and number of Serial prefix

W. W. Woods

W. E. Wait
1st August 1932 D 76 50001 500
D 81 50001 250 12.5K
Full complement of 5
Secret Marks incorporated.
D 84 00001 500
D 89 00001 250

H. J. Huxham

W. E. Wait
2nd July 1934 D 91 50001 850
E 1 00001 400
E 5 00001 500 25K
E 10 00001 50

C. H. Collins

G. S. Wodeman
26th June 1935 E 10 50001 1500
E 25 50001 500 20K
E 30 50001 50

H. J. Huxham

M. M. Wedderburn
18th June 1936 E 31 00001 1500
E 46 00001 500 25K
E 51 00001 50

C. H. Collins

R. M. M. Worsley
24th July 1937 E 51 50001 1500
E 66 50001 500 25K

H. J. Huxham

G. S. Wodeman
10th November 1938 E 71 50001 1500
E 86 50001 500 25K
E 91 50001 500
2nd October 1939 E 92 00001 800
F 1 00001 700
F 8 00001 500 25K

1939_tgoc_5r_cover Booklets issued with 20 Notes each with single staple on left on ½ inch (13 mm) perforated counterfoil with baige soft board covers on front and back. Printed on front cover at center in Orange huge Rs. 5

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 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.
I thank Thomas Hockenhull of British Museum for permission to image the 5r Proof with SecretMarks in Study Room on 2023 May 25th.