50 Rupees Central Bank Of Ceylon Banknote (Swrd Bandaranaike Swearing Oath)

50 Rupees Rupee (Issued 1970)

In October 1970, Ceylon was governed under the coalition administration of Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike, whose Sri Lanka Freedom Party had swept to power in a landslide election victory earlier that year, forming the United Front government alongside the Lanka Sama Samaja Party and the Communist Party. This was a period of significant constitutional change, with the government actively working towards a new republican constitution that would ultimately transform Ceylon into the Republic of Sri Lanka in 1972. The banknote itself bears the date 1970-10-26, placing it precisely within this transformative era of Ceylonese political history. The Central Bank of Ceylon continued to issue currency under the Ceylon designation even as the country’s identity was on the cusp of fundamental change.

On the front, the dominant feature is a portrait of Dudley Senanayake, the prominent Ceylonese statesman and former Prime Minister, depicted to the right of centre in an engraved intaglio style. He is shown from approximately the waist upward, wearing spectacles and what appears to be a light-coloured traditional or formal shirt, with his right arm raised and extended outward in a gesture of address or greeting, suggesting a public appearance or political rally setting. The engraving is rendered in shades of blue and purple-grey, with fine line work capturing the detail of his face, hair, and clothing. The serial number D/5 56568 appears twice — once in the upper right area and once in the lower left — printed in a dark, clear typeface. The denomination numeral “50” appears in the upper left corner within an ornate panel, and again in the lower left corner beside Sinhala script text. The issuing authority is identified in Latin script as “CENTRAL BANK OF CEYLON” in bold uppercase lettering across the upper centre of the note, flanked above by Sinhala script text and below by Tamil script text, both naming the issuing institution. In the upper left, a square vignette panel contains an image of the Ceylonese lion emblem, and to its right additional Sinhala and Tamil script text occupies horizontal bands across the top of the note. The central left area carries several lines of Sinhala script text, likely comprising the legal tender declaration or statutory text. The date 1970-10-26 is printed clearly in numerals beneath this text, followed by two manuscript signatures in dark ink, with Sinhala script captions beneath each identifying the signatories’ titles. Across the lower portion of the note, guilloché-style decorative engraving appears in the form of ornate scrollwork framing, and the words “FIFTY RUPEES” are printed in the lower right in clear serif typeface. Sinhala and Tamil script equivalents of the denomination appear in the lower centre, and the overall colour palette across the front is a cool blue-violet with grey tonal variations throughout.

The reverse is printed predominantly in blue and purple-violet tones with softer, more open engraving than the front. The central scene depicts a tall commemorative statue or monument set within a landscaped setting, the figure atop a tiered stone plinth or stepped base. Behind the statue, the spreading canopy of a large tree — its branches extending broadly outward — forms the backdrop, rendered with fine line engraving that suggests the density and scale of the foliage. To the lower right of the monument, a large decorative flower, likely a lotus, is visible, partially open, its petals rendered in soft engraved detail. A smaller animal figure, possibly a deer or similar creature, appears near the base of the monument to the right side. The upper portion of the reverse carries the same institutional heading as the front, with Sinhala script text at the top followed by Tamil script text and then “CENTRAL BANK OF CEYLON” in Latin capitals. To the left of the central vignette, Sinhala script text states the denomination, with Tamil script text beneath it and the English denomination “FIFTY RUPEES” printed in small spaced capitals below. In the lower left corner, a circular guilloché ornamental panel contains the numeral “50”, and the same “50” numeral appears in square panels in the upper left and upper right corners. To the left of the central image, a stylised plant or grain motif is engraved in upward-reaching vertical lines. The printer’s imprint, which appears to read “Thomas De La Rue and Company Limited”, is visible in very small text along the lower edge of the reverse. The paper shows age-related toning and fold lines consistent with a circulated example.

If you have a 50 Rupees Central Bank of Ceylon banknote to exchange, Webuyallcurrency.com takes it as part of its leftover currency service, combining your Sri Lankan Rupees banknotes with other world coins and banknotes in one easy payout.

• Indicate the quantity of 50 Rupees Rupee banknotes you want to exchange
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• Your online account now shows the exchange value

Webuyallcurrency.com helps you exchange old coins and banknotes with no fuss, combining your Sri Lankan Rupees banknotes with other foreign currency into a single, hassle-free cash exchange.

Other Sri Lankan Rupees you can exchange: 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 100, 200.