1 Rupee Central Bank Of Ceylon Banknote (Armorial Ensign Series)

1 Rupee Rupee (Issued 1956-1963)

Ceylon gained full independence from Britain in 1948, and by the mid-1950s the island was undergoing profound political transformation under Prime Minister Solomon Bandaranaike, whose government pursued a strongly nationalist agenda following his landslide victory in 1956. That same year marked the passage of the Official Language Act, which elevated Sinhala to the sole official language and reshaped the cultural identity of the young nation. It is within this assertive post-independence atmosphere that the Central Bank of Ceylon issued this 1 Rupee banknote, a modest denomination that nonetheless carries the full symbolic weight of a newly sovereign state expressing itself through its currency design and script choices.

On the front, the note is printed predominantly in shades of blue and violet against a pale cream ground, with the entire surface enriched by fine guilloché lattice-work that fills the background with an intricate, machine-engraved weave of overlapping geometric patterns. Dominating the left-centre of the face is a large circular emblem depicting the Sri Lanka coat of arms, which features a rampant lion holding a sword, surrounded by petals and framed by an ornate circular border — all rendered in crisp intaglio engraving with considerable tonal depth. Beneath and around the emblem, the word “Lanka” appears within the device in Latin characters. Across the upper portion of the note, the bank title is printed in Sinhala script in bold, prominent lettering, and a further two lines of Sinhala script text appear beneath it, conveying the statutory notice. The serial number B/98 408258 is printed in blue in the centre of the note, positioned above a further Sinhala script inscription giving the denomination. Below that, a decorative vignette of an ornate globe-like guilloché motif in green and blue provides a central focal point, and the date 1963-6-5 is printed clearly in dark type just beneath it. A signature line appears at the foot of this section, accompanied by additional Sinhala script text identifying the signatories. Along the very bottom of the note, the denomination “ONE RUPEE” is printed in bold Latin capitals, flanked to the right by Tamil script text giving the equivalent denomination, and to the left by further Sinhala script. At each upper corner, the numeral “1” is placed within decorative floral cartouches, and narrow ornamental borders run along all four edges with repeating rosette and key-pattern devices.

The reverse is printed in a similar blue and violet palette on a pale green-tinted ground, and presents an imposing architectural scene engraved in fine line work at the right-centre of the composition. The vignette depicts a grand ancient stone staircase flanked by carved stone guardstones — the characteristic moonstone and guardstone entrance typical of the Anuradhapura period of Sri Lankan heritage — with a substantial dagoba or stupa structure visible rising above the stonework in the background. The engraving is detailed and precise, capturing the texture of the carved stone surfaces and the monumental scale of the steps. To the left of the central scene, the background carries a lighter guilloché ground that transitions into the green field. In the upper portion of the reverse, the bank name in Sinhala script is repeated alongside a Sinhala script denomination inscription, maintaining typographic consistency with the face. The words “ONE RUPEE” appear in Latin script at the lower left, and Tamil script text for the denomination is printed at the lower right. At the very foot of the note, the printer’s imprint reads “Bradbury, Wilkinson and Co. Ltd., New Malden, Surrey, England,” confirming production by one of Britain’s most distinguished security printers of the era. Narrow decorative borders with interlocking geometric motifs frame the reverse on all sides, and a vertical strip of elaborate guilloché patterning runs along the right-hand edge, adding a further layer of security detail to the design.

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• Indicate the quantity of 1 Rupee Rupee banknotes you want to exchange
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• Your online account now shows the exchange value

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