Ceylon Banknotes: Queen Elizabeth II's Era

The second series of banknotes issued by the Dominion of Ceylon marked a transitional period from the reign of King George VI to Queen Elizabeth II. Following the 1951 Issue featuring King George VI discussed in the previous article, the introduction of Queen Elizabeth II's portraits on Ceylon's currency represented a significant shift in numismatic history. This article delves into the intricacies of this series, highlighting its design, and historical context.

Background of the Second Series

Establishment of the Central Bank of Ceylon

The Central Bank of Ceylon, established under the Monetary Law Act No. 58, commenced operations on 28 August 1950. The first series issued was the King George VI 1951 series. After the death of King George VI, the Central Bank of Ceylon issued this second series.

Ascension of Queen Elizabeth II

Queen Elizabeth II became the monarch of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms on 6 February 1952, following the death of her father, King George VI. Her coronation took place on 3 June 1953.

Continuation from the 1951 Issue

The 1951 King George VI series intended to feature a full set of paper money ranging from 1 to 100 Rupees but only the 1 Rupee note and 10 Rupee notes were issued. Watermarked papers, archival photographs, and specimen banknotes reveal evidence and designs for denominations that were never issued.

Design Adaptations for Queen Elizabeth II

The second series of banknotes of the Central Bank of Ceylon adopted the overall design scheme of the 1951 Issue but incorporated portraits of Queen Elizabeth II. The portraits were based on photographs by Dorothy Wilding, a renowned portrait photographer of the time.

Recognition by the Sunday Times

The Sunday Times newspaper of Sri Lanka noted Ceylon as the first country globally to showcase Queen Elizabeth II’s portrait on its currency, marking a historic moment in numismatics.

Varieties of QEII Banknotes

Initial Issuance (1952 issue - 1953 issue)

The first banknotes featuring Queen Elizabeth II's portrait were issued on 3 June 1952, a year before her coronation. These included denominations of 1 Rupee, 2 Rupees, 5 Rupees, 50 Rupees, and 100 Rupees. Subsequently, the 10 Rupee note was issued on 1 July 1953.

1954 Issue

A new series of banknotes was introduced in 1954. The 50 Rupees note was dated 12 May 1954, while the 1 Rupee, 2 Rupees, 5 Rupees, 10 Rupees, and 100 Rupees notes were dated 16 October 1954.

Color Changes

The 1954 issue is nearly identical to the initial issuance in 1952 - 1953 except for the 5 Rupee note. Notably, the 5 Rupees note underwent a color change from purple to red-orange in 1954. This adjustment aimed to alleviate confusion with the 2 Rupee note, which retained violet and green hues.

Printer, Signature, and Other Designs

Printing by Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co.

Like the earlier issue King George VI 1951 issue, Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co., a prominent British banknote printing company, undertook the printing of these banknotes.

Watermark Design

The banknotes featured a watermark of the Ratanapura lion facing left on its hind legs, holding a bent whip using its right paw. This watermark was consistent with the one prepared for the previous King George VI series.

Signatures and Dates

The signature on the left is that of the Minister of Finance, while, the signature on the right is that of the Governor of the Central Bank of Ceylon. Each denomination of the Queen Elizabeth II series bore 2 dates and distinctive signature pairs.

1, 2, 5, 50 and 100 Rupees dated 3 June 1952: Junius Richard Jayewardene or J.R. Jayewardene (Minister of Finance) and John Exter (Governor)

10 Rupees dated 1 July 1953: Junius Richard Jayewardene or J.R. Jayewardene (Minister of Finance) and Neville Ubeysingha Jayawardena or N.U. Jayawardena (Governor)

50 Rupees dated 12 May 1954: Oliver Ernest Goonetilleke or O.E. Goonetilleke (Minister of Finance) and Neville Ubeysingha Jayawardena or N.U. Jayawardena (Governor)

1, 2, 5, 10 and 100 Rupees dated 16 October 1954: Mahabalage Don Henry Jayewardene or M.D.H. Jayewardene (Minister of Finance) and Arthur Godwin Ranasinghe or A.G. Ranasinghe (Governor)

Trilingual and Legal Tender Text

The banknotes continued the tradition of featuring trilingual text in English, Sinhala, and Tamil as in the previous issue. The same legal tender text was also used.

Main Portrait

As mentioned above, Queen Elizabeth II adopted the design of the 1951 Issues except for the change of the monarch portrait. The portrait is from a photograph by Dorothy Wilding.

Features of the QEII Banknotes

In this series of Queen Elizabeth II issues of Ceylon banknotes, a total of six denominations — 1, 2, 5, 10, 50, and 100 Rupees — were issued with distinct varieties in terms of dates and signature combinations. Each denomination featured two different dates and signature pairs, resulting in a total of 12 distinct varieties for the issued banknotes.

Common Features

Issuer: Central Bank of Ceylon
Printer: Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co
Obverse Design: Name of the issuer in English at the top and a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II wearing Queen Mary's Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara at the left
Material: Paper
Security Thread: None
Watermark: Lion on its hind legs holding a whip

1 Rupee Banknote

Denomination: 1 Rupee
Dimension: 110 x 60 mm
Color: Blue, orange, and green
Reverse Design: Issuer's name in English at the top and an image of the moonstone steps flanked by guard stones in Polonnaruwa

Variety 1
Date: 3 June 1952
Signature: J.R. Jayewardene and John Exter
Prefix: A/31 to A/42
Catalog Number: Banknote Book B303a; Pick 49a

Variety 2
Date: 16 October 1954
Signature: M.D.H. Jayewardene and A.G. Ranasinghe
Prefix: A/31 to A/42
Catalog Number: Banknote Book B303b; Pick 49b

2 Rupee Banknote

Denomination: 2 Rupee
Dimension: 120 x 66 mm
Color: Brown, violet and green
Reverse Design: Lotus stem pillars of Medirigiriya Vatadage in Polonnaruwa and the issuer's name in English at the top

Variety 1
Date: 3 June 1952
Signature: J.R. Jayewardene and John Exter
Prefix: E/1 to E/15
Catalog Number: Banknote Book B304a; Pick 50a

Variety 2
Date: 16 October 1954
Signature: M.D.H. Jayewardene and A.G. Ranasinghe
Prefix: E/16 to E/27
Catalog Number: Banknote Book B304b; Pick 50b

5 Rupee Banknote

Denomination: 5 Rupee
Dimension: 133 x 72 mm
Reverse Design: Statue of Parakramabahu I, located near the Pothgul Vehera in Polonnaruwa, and the issuer's name in English at the top

Variety 1
Color: Purple, orange and green
Date: 3 June 1952
Signature: J.R. Jayewardene and John Exter
Prefix: G/1 to G/10
Catalog Number: Banknote Book B305; Pick 51

Variety 2
Color: Red, orange and green
Date: 16 October 1954
Signature: M.D.H. Jayewardene and A.G. Ranasinghe
Prefix: G/11 to G/18
Catalog Number: Banknote Book B306; Pick 54

10 Rupee Banknote

Denomination: 10 Rupee
Dimension: 147 x 79 mm
Color: Green and purple
Reverse Design: Guard stone of Naga-raja holding a sprouting branch and punkalasa beneath the hood of cobra heads, with Sankha and Padma at the feet and the issuer's name in English at the bottom

Variety 1
Date: 1 July 1953
Signature: J.R. Jayewardene and N.U. Jayawardena
Prefix: L/21 to L/30
Catalog Number: Banknote Book B307a; Pick 55a

Variety 2
Date: 16 October 1954
Signature: M.D.H. Jayewardene and A.G. Ranasinghe
Prefix: L/31 to L/45
Catalog Number: Banknote Book B307b; Pick 55b

50 Rupee Banknote

Denomination: 50 Rupee
Dimension: 157 x 88 mm
Color: Blue and red
Reverse Design: Semi-circular moonstone and steps in Anuradhapura and the issuer's name in English at the top

Variety 1
Date: 3 June 1952
Signature: J.R. Jayewardene and John Exter
Prefix: R/1 to R/15
Catalog Number: Banknote Book B308a; Pick 52a

Variety 2
Date: 16 October 1954
Signature: O.E. Goonetilleke and N.U. Jayawardena
Prefix: R/16 to R/25
Catalog Number: Banknote Book B308b; Pick 52b

100 Rupee Banknote

Denomination: 100 Rupee
Dimension: 170 x 98 mm
Color: Brown and violet
Reverse Design: Fresco of two women with lotus flowers at Sigiriya or Sinhagiri, an ancient rock fortress located in the northern Matale District, and the issuer's name in English at the top

Variety 1
Date: 3 June 1952
Signature: J.R. Jayewardene and John Exter
Prefix: V/1 to V/20
Catalog Number: Banknote Book B309a; Pick 53a

Variety 2
Date: 16 October 1954
Signature: M.D.H. Jayewardene and A.G. Ranasinghe
Prefix: V/21 to V/30
Catalog Number: Banknote Book B309a; Pick 53a

Historical Context

The inclusion of Queen Elizabeth II's portrait symbolized Ceylon's continued association with the British Commonwealth while also marking its path towards independence. Further, as mentioned above, according to The Sunday Times newspaper of Sri Lanka, Ceylon is the first country in the world to feature Queen Elizabeth II's portrait on its currency, highlighting a significant milestone in the history of paper money.

This series also marked the culmination of Ceylon's use of British monarch portraits on its currency. Subsequent series, starting in 1956, promoted non-Western policies, leading to the adoption of the “Sinhala only” policy and the replacement of the Queen’s portrait with the Ceylon coat of arms.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Queen Elizabeth II issues of Ceylon banknotes hold a significant place in numismatic history, bridging the transition of banknotes featuring British monarchs to those that do not feature one despite being a Dominion of Ceylon. This series and subsequent series represent not only a visual testament to Ceylon's historical ties with the British monarchy but also a reflection of its evolving cultural and political identity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Which institution was responsible for issuing the Queen Elizabeth II series of Ceylon banknotes?

A: The Central Bank of Ceylon, established under the Monetary Law Act No. 58, commenced operations on 28 August 1950, and was the issuing authority for the Queen Elizabeth II series of Ceylon banknotes.

Q: When were the first banknotes featuring Queen Elizabeth II's portrait issued in Ceylon?

A: The first banknotes featuring Queen Elizabeth II's portrait were issued in Ceylon on 3 June 1952, which was a year before her official coronation. These initial denominations included 1, 2, 5, 50, and 100 Rupees, with the 10 Rupee note following on 1 July 1953.

Q: What unique distinction did Ceylon hold regarding Queen Elizabeth II's portrait on its currency?

A: According to The Sunday Times newspaper of Sri Lanka, Ceylon holds the historic distinction of being the first country globally to showcase Queen Elizabeth II’s portrait on its currency, marking a significant moment in numismatic history.

Q: What prominent watermark design was featured on the Queen Elizabeth II banknotes of Ceylon?

A: These banknotes consistently featured a watermark of the Ratanapura lion. This lion was depicted facing left on its hind legs, holding a bent whip using its right paw, a design consistent with that prepared for the preceding King George VI series.

Q: What significant change occurred in Ceylon's banknotes after the Queen Elizabeth II series regarding monarch portraits?

A: The Queen Elizabeth II series marked the culmination of Ceylon's use of British monarch portraits on its currency. Subsequent banknote series, starting in 1956, embraced non-Western policies, leading to the adoption of the "Sinhala only" policy and the replacement of the Queen’s portrait with the Ceylon coat of arms.