20 Sri Lankan Rupees Banknote (Gurulu Mask)

20 Rupees Rupee (Issued 1991–1994)

Surviving examples of the 1991–1994 issue Twenty Rupees banknote from Sri Lanka are now encountered far less frequently than their original print runs might suggest, as decades of circulation, tropical humidity, and routine destruction by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka have steadily reduced the number of notes remaining in presentable condition. Withdrawn from legal tender status following subsequent currency reforms, these notes passed out of everyday use without the broad public attention that might have prompted systematic preservation. The combination of distinctive Sri Lankan iconography and the clean De La Rue printing pedigree has nonetheless made them a reference point for those researching the evolution of South Asian currency design. Both currency historians and those simply clearing out old travel money frequently encounter this issue and seek guidance on what can be done with it today.

On the front, the note is printed in a warm palette dominated by shades of rose, crimson, and soft purple, overlaid with fine guilloché latticework that fills the background across the full width of the note. The most commanding element of the obverse is a large, richly detailed depiction of a traditional Sri Lankan Kolam or ceremonial mask positioned to the right of centre, rendered in deep engraved lines that capture the elaborate headdress, wide staring eyes, prominent fangs, and layered decorative plumage of the mask with considerable precision. This mask, associated with Sri Lanka’s ancient ritual performance traditions, dominates the right-hand portion of the note and gives the series an unmistakably distinctive character. To the lower left, a stylised lotus blossom is engraved in fine detail, its petals rendered in careful relief against the patterned background. The issuing authority is identified in the upper central area, where the text “Central Bank of Sri Lanka” is printed in clear Latin script, flanked above and below by Sinhala script text and Tamil script text giving the bank’s name in both official languages. The denomination “20” appears prominently in the upper left and lower right corners in bold numerals, with the words “TWENTY RUPEES” printed vertically along the left margin in Latin script, and denomination text in Sinhala script and Tamil script running alongside. The serial number, reading L/1 560152, appears twice — once in the upper left area and once in the lower right — printed in dark red ink in a clear serif typeface. The date 1991-01-01 is printed in small numerals in the central field, establishing the precise issue date within the series. Two facsimile signatures of Central Bank of Sri Lanka officials appear in the middle of the note, accompanied by small printed text identifying their titles in both Latin and Sinhala script. A vertical security thread is embedded within the paper and is partially visible as a dark stripe running through the note when held to the light. A small circular watermark area is visible towards the left side of the note.

The reverse is printed in complementary tones of blue-green, soft violet, and warm terracotta, with fine background guilloché patterns extending across the entire surface. The central vignette depicts two traditional Sri Lankan stilt fishermen, a practice unique to the southern coast of Sri Lanka, shown perched on their characteristic wooden poles above shallow coastal waters, each holding long fishing rods, the scene engraved with considerable atmospheric detail including the suggestion of sea, sky, and distant shoreline. This scene is framed within a rectangular panel with a teal and blue colour wash that evokes the coastal waters of the island. To the lower left of the central vignette, a large engraved conch shell is depicted in careful detail, its spiral ridges and natural texture rendered in fine intaglio lines. In the upper section of the reverse, a circular coin-like emblem bearing the numeral “20” is printed in dark ink with a fine patterned surround, and decorative tropical fish motifs appear to either side in the upper margins, printed in warm orange and red tones. The bank name “Central Bank of Sri Lanka” is printed centrally in Latin script, with Sinhala script text above it and Tamil script text completing the trilingual identification of the issuing authority. The words “TWENTY RUPEES” appear along the lower margin in Latin script, and denomination text in Sinhala script and Tamil script is also present. The printer’s imprint “PRINTED BY DE LA RUE AND COMPANY LIMITED” is visible in small text along the very bottom edge of the note, confirming the British security printing provenance of this issue.

Got a 20 Rupees Sri Lanka banknote sitting unused? Webuyallcurrency.com will exchange it for cash alongside your other Sri Lankan Rupees banknotes and any leftover foreign currency, in one convenient online step.

• Indicate the quantity of 20 Rupees Rupee banknotes you want to exchange
• Click the ‘Add to your account’ button
• Your online account now shows the exchange value

Webuyallcurrency.com brings all your foreign currency together: exchange or sell Sri Lankan Rupees banknotes and other old, withdrawn or modern coins and notes for cash, with no specialist knowledge needed.

Other Sri Lankan Rupees you can exchange: 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10, 50, 100, 200.