5 Rupees Central Bank Of Ceylon Banknote (King Parakramabahu I Statue)

5 Rupees Rupee (Issued 1969-1971)

Surviving examples of the 1969–1971 Central Bank of Ceylon five rupee note are considerably scarcer than their original circulation numbers might suggest, with decades of use, tropical humidity, and the transition to new Sri Lankan currency having taken a heavy toll on well-preserved specimens. The note bridges a pivotal chapter in South Asian monetary history, issued under the Central Bank of Ceylon in the years immediately following independence and before Ceylon’s transformation into the Republic of Sri Lanka in 1972. Historians and currency researchers regard this issue as a tangible document of the colonial-to-independence transition, carrying the institutional name of Ceylon alongside design motifs rooted deeply in the island’s ancient heritage. The combination of post-independence identity and pre-republican nomenclature makes it a note of genuine historical interest.

On the front, the dominant colour palette is a warm red-orange set against cream paper, with the overall design framed by intricately engraved geometric and guilloché border patterns that run along all four edges, creating a detailed decorative surround typical of mid-twentieth-century intaglio banknote printing. To the right of centre, a large engraved vignette depicts an ancient stone sculpture of a seated figure, rendered in fine cross-hatched line engraving with considerable tonal depth; this is a depiction of the Samadhi Buddha statue, one of the most celebrated ancient sculptures of Sri Lanka, carved in the fourth century and housed at Anuradhapura. The figure is shown seated in meditation pose atop a plinth, with the stone texture of the original sculpture rendered convincingly through the engraver’s craft. At the top of the note, Sinhala script text appears prominently in a bold red band, with Tamil script text appearing directly below it, followed by the legend CENTRAL BANK OF CEYLON printed in clear red Latin capitals, establishing the issuing authority unambiguously. The serial number G/172 939894 appears in red numerals both in the upper right area and again in the lower left corner, printed in a bold serif typeface. A date of 1974-07-16 is printed in the central field in black numerals, indicating the specific signature date on this example. Governor and Secretary signatures appear in script below the central text block, with their designations printed beneath in Sinhala, Tamil, and English. Denomination numerals in the figure 5 appear in the lower left corner and are also referenced in a red panel at the base of the note reading FIVE RUPEES in bold Latin capitals alongside Tamil script text. Sinhala script appears prominently throughout the central body of the note, including the denomination text in large stylised lettering. The paper carries a light cream tone with no visible strong colour variation outside the red and terracotta print.

The reverse is printed predominantly in a sage green and terracotta two-colour scheme, with a broad central vignette depicting the Lion of Sigiriya, an ancient carved stone lion figure, rendered in orange-red intaglio engraving with fine line work conveying the texture and volume of the carved stone original. The lion is shown in a seated pose facing left, with decorative detailing on its form that echoes the ancient rock fortress carvings associated with Sigiriya in central Sri Lanka. Flanking the lion vignette on either side are intricate guilloché and geometric background patterns printed in pale green, providing a complex security ground that fills the entire field. To the left of the central image, Sinhala script text appears in green print across multiple lines, with Tamil script text below it, followed by further Sinhala text identifying the issuing bank. To the right of the lion, the text FIVE RUPEES is printed in green Latin capitals and CENTRAL BANK OF CEYLON appears in two lines of green text in the lower right quadrant. The figure 5 appears as a large numeral in the upper right corner. Along the top edge, Sinhala script text runs in a decorative band flanked by ornamental border patterns in both green and terracotta. The printer’s imprint of Bradbury, Wilkinson and Co Ltd, New Malden, Surrey, England is visible in small text along the lower margin, confirming the note was produced by one of Britain’s foremost security printers of the era. The overall reverse design is crisp, with the two-colour print register appearing well-aligned across the example shown.

Exchange foreign coins and notes with no fuss: Webuyallcurrency.com accepts this 5 Rupees Central Bank of Ceylon banknote and other old or withdrawn Sri Lankan Rupees banknotes, paying out for everything together in a single transaction.

• Indicate the quantity of 5 Rupees Rupee banknotes you want to exchange
• Click the ‘Add to your account’ button
• Your online account now shows the exchange value

Webuyallcurrency.com buys and exchanges foreign currency of every kind, so your Sri Lankan Rupees banknotes — withdrawn or current — can be sold for cash together with the rest of your leftover coins and notes.

Other Sri Lankan Rupees you can exchange: 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200.