50 Rupees Central Bank Of Ceylon Banknote (Armorial Ensign 1977)

50 Rupees Rupee (Issued 1977)

Issued in the year Ceylon formally transitioned into the Republic of Sri Lanka, the 1977 fifty-rupee note carries the institutional identity of the Central Bank of Ceylon at a pivotal moment in the nation’s post-independence story. The note’s imagery draws on sovereign emblems and the agricultural foundations of the island economy, presenting a portrait of national pride rooted in both statecraft and the land. Printed in tones of mauve and purple, it reflects the restrained, dignified aesthetic characteristic of mid-twentieth-century Commonwealth currency design. The combination of classical engraving and multilingual text speaks to the plural cultural heritage Ceylon sought to honour during this era.

On the front, the note is dominated by the Sri Lanka national emblem rendered in fine intaglio detail to the right of centre — a lion passant holding a sword, set within a circular shield flanked by petals of the blue lotus, with a representation of the sacred Sri Maha Bodhi above and a sun and moon to either side, all seated upon a decorative base with the Dhamma Chakra at its centre. To the left of this emblem sits a large oval guilloché medallion filled with intricate spiralling lacework in mauve, providing depth and anti-counterfeiting complexity at the heart of the design. The issuing authority is clearly identified in Latin script as “CENTRAL BANK OF CEYLON” across the upper central portion of the note, accompanied by Sinhala script text above reading the bank’s name in that language, and Tamil script text beneath it performing the same function. A large denomination value in Sinhala script occupies the central field, with the English text “FIFTY RUPEES” printed in bold serif lettering along the lower margin. The date 1977-08-26 is printed in the central area, indicating the specific issue date of this note. A serial number appears twice — once in the upper right field and once in the lower left — in the format N/148 57011, printed in dark ink. A facsimile signature appears below the central text block, attributable to the Governor of the Central Bank of Ceylon at the time of issue. The left border is composed of a repeating decorative column incorporating stylised floral and foliate motifs, while geometric corner rosettes anchor each quadrant of the design. The numeral “50” appears prominently in both the upper left and upper right corners, as well as in the lower corners, all in a bold serif typeface. The overall ground colour is a soft mauve-purple wash over which the finely engraved elements are printed, giving the note a layered tonal depth typical of intaglio-printed currency of the period.

The reverse presents a sweeping scenic landscape engraved in the same mauve-purple palette, depicting the terraced tea estates of the Sri Lankan hill country. Rolling mountainsides rise across the majority of the composition, their contoured ridgelines rendered in fine parallel linework that conveys both depth and texture. The terraced cultivation is clearly visible across the slopes, with the neat rows of the tea plantations forming a dominant visual pattern across the central and upper portions of the image. In the lower foreground, lush tropical vegetation including banana-like broad-leafed plants frames the base of the landscape, while a road or pathway curves through the middle distance, with what appears to be a small building or plantation structure visible at its margin. The upper portion of the reverse carries the bank name in Sinhala script, Tamil script, and the Latin-alphabet text “CENTRAL BANK OF CEYLON” across the top register. Denomination numerals “50” appear in the upper left and upper right corners. The lower margin carries denomination text in Sinhala script, Tamil script, and the English “FIFTY RUPEES” in a row. A printer’s reference is faintly visible in the lower margin, indicating the note was produced by a specialist security printer. The side borders of the reverse replicate the decorative foliate column design seen on the front, maintaining a consistent frame around the central vignette. The overall engraving quality of the landscape is of a high standard, with tonal gradations achieved through variable line density across the hillside forms.

Got a 1977 fifty-rupee Central Bank of Ceylon 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 50 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, 5, 10, 20, 100, 200.