1 Rupee Banknote (Central Bank Of Ceylon King George Vi)

1 Rupee Rupee (Issued 1951)

The 1 Rupee note issued by the Central Bank of Ceylon on 20th January 1951 incorporates a watermark zone visible as a lighter, unprinted oval area to the right of centre on the front of the note, a standard anti-counterfeiting measure employed on Commonwealth-era banknotes of this period. The note was produced by Bradbury, Wilkinson and Co. Ltd of New Malden, Surrey, England, one of the most respected security printers of the twentieth century, whose engraving standards were considered among the finest in the world. This combination of quality intaglio printing and paper security features represented the benchmark for colonial and post-independence currency production across the British Commonwealth. The note’s issue date of 20th January 1951 places it firmly in the early years of Ceylon’s post-independence monetary framework, just three years after the country gained independence in 1948.

On the front, the dominant design element is an oval portrait of King George VI, rendered in fine intaglio engraving and positioned to the left of centre. The portrait shows the King in formal military dress uniform, decorated with medals and orders across the chest, and wearing epaulettes on the shoulders. The engraving is detailed and precise, capturing the facial features with characteristic depth and shadow typical of Bradbury, Wilkinson’s craftsmanship. The overall colour scheme of the front is predominantly blue and violet, with a warm orange-brown guilloché pattern forming the central background field behind the denomination text. The issuing authority is stated in bold uppercase serif lettering at the top of the note: “CENTRAL BANK OF CEYLON”. Immediately beneath this heading, a printed text panel reads: “This note is issued on behalf of the Government of Ceylon and is legal tender in Ceylon for the payment of any amount.” The serial number A/15 142171 is printed in blue to the right of the portrait. Centrally positioned on the note, the denomination is stated in large bold lettering as “ONE RUPEE”, set within and above a decorative globe vignette that provides an ornamental background to the denomination panel. Directly beneath the denomination, the issue date “20TH JANUARY 1951” is printed within a scroll-edged banner. Two manuscript-style facsimile signatures appear below this panel: one attributed to the Minister of Finance and one to the Governor of the Central Bank of Ceylon, with their respective titles printed in small uppercase text beneath each signature. Along the lower edge of the front, a narrow strip carries text rendered in Sinhala script on the left side and Tamil script on the right side, providing the denomination in both official languages of Ceylon. Decorative rosette corner pieces and fine guilloché border patterns frame the entire design.

The reverse is printed predominantly in blue and a warm golden-brown tone. At the top, “CENTRAL BANK OF CEYLON” is printed in bold serif lettering, followed immediately below by “ONE RUPEE” in similarly bold uppercase type. The central and right-hand portion of the reverse is dominated by an architectural vignette depicting what appears to be an ancient stone stairway and entrance gateway, consistent with a historic temple or palace structure from Ceylon’s cultural heritage. The staircase features carved stone balustrades and a guardian figure or decorative statue is visible at the base of the steps, alongside intricate stonework and carved detail. The engraving of this architectural scene is executed with considerable tonal depth, conveying the texture of aged stone and the grandeur of the structure. The left half of the reverse is largely unprinted, forming the lighter watermark zone. Along the lower left, Sinhala script text appears, and along the lower centre, Tamil script text appears, both indicating the denomination. A finely engraved vertical border of interlocking geometric and guilloché patterning runs along the right-hand edge of the reverse. The printer’s imprint “BRADBURY, WILKINSON & CO. LTD., NEW MALDEN, SURREY, ENGLAND” is printed in small serif lettering along the lower centre of the reverse.

Whether it is a single 1 Rupee Central Bank of Ceylon banknote or a mix of leftover currency, Webuyallcurrency.com exchanges Sri Lankan Rupees banknotes and other foreign coins and notes for cash in one straightforward process.

• Indicate the quantity of 1 Rupee Rupee banknotes you want to exchange
• Click the ‘Add to your account’ button
• Your online account now shows the exchange value

Webuyallcurrency.com makes it easy to sell foreign coins and banknotes for cash, taking Sri Lankan Rupees banknotes along with modern and withdrawn currency so everything is converted in one step.

Other Sri Lankan Rupees you can exchange: 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200.