5 rupias 1945
About This Note
A 1945 Portuguese India 5 rupias note issued by Banco Nacional Ultramarino, displaying the typical colonial-era design aesthetic with a bearded male portrait on the obverse and a detailed maritime trading scene on the reverse. The note exhibits Fair (F) condition with visible creasing, foxing, and age-related discoloration consistent with nearly 80 years of circulation and storage. The fine engraved details and Portuguese inscriptions make this an interesting example of Portuguese colonial currency from the final years before India's independence.
Common. Portuguese India 5 rupias notes from 1945 (Pick P-35) are regularly encountered in the collector market, with no documented scarcity in print runs or subsequent recalls. The note is from the final years of Portuguese colonial administration and while historically significant, such denominations were produced in standard quantities for circulation in Portuguese India. Fair condition examples such as this one are typically offered at moderate prices on the secondary market, reflecting common rather than rare status.
This banknote represents the monetary system of Portuguese India during the final years of Portuguese colonial rule, issued in November 1945 while Portugal maintained control of its Indian territories (until 1961). The maritime imagery and trading scenes depicted on the reverse reflect the historical importance of Portuguese seafaring and commerce in establishing and maintaining the colonial presence in India. The note's existence represents a unique cultural artifact documenting the intersection of Portuguese colonial administration and Indian monetary policy during the post-World War II period.
The obverse features a bearded male figure in profile facing right, depicted within an oval frame on the right side of the note. The left side displays a sailing ship within a circular medallion, symbolizing Portuguese maritime heritage and colonial trade. Ornate decorative patterns in Celtic and heraldic styles frame the design in green, blue, and pink/red tones, with coat of arms or heraldic emblems at the top. The reverse presents a detailed engraved colonial scene with a male figure in period dress on the left, multiple sailing ships in the background representing maritime commerce and colonial activity, and Portuguese heraldic shields with floral designs on the right. The numeral '5' appears in an ornamental decorative frame on the reverse, with laurel wreaths and botanical elements adding to the classical design aesthetic.
FRONT: 'BANCO NACIONAL ULTRAMARINO' (National Ultramarino Bank) - 'INDIA PORTUGUESA' (Portuguese India) - 'DECRETO Nº' (Decree No.) - 'CINCO RUPIAS' (Five Rupias) - 'DE NOVEMBRO DE 1945' (Of November 1945) - 'O ADMINISTRADOR' (The Administrator) - 'O PRESIDENTE DO CONSELHO ADMINISTRATIVO' (The President of the Administrative Council) - Serial number: '1.171.378'. BACK: 'BANCO NACIONAL ULTRAMARINO' (National Ultramarino Bank) - 'PAGAVEL NA INDIA PORTUGUESA' (Payable in Portuguese India) - Numeral '5' (Five) - 'BRADBURY, WILKINSON & CO. LTD., GRAVESEND, NEW WALDEN, SURREY, INGATERA' (Printer credit - Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co. Ltd., England).
This note was produced using intaglio engraving, the predominant security printing method for banknotes of this era. The fine line work, intricate decorative patterns, complex geometric and floral designs, and detailed maritime scene engraving visible throughout both sides are characteristic of intaglio production. The printer Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co. Ltd. of Gravesend, England, a renowned security printer, is credited on the reverse, confirming the use of high-security engraved plate printing techniques typical of their work for colonial banknote production.
The specific variety can be identified by the serial number 1.171.378 and the November 1945 decree date. This Pick P-35 represents the standard 1945 issue of 5 rupias by Banco Nacional Ultramarino. No specific overprints, signature varieties, or other documented variants are apparent from the visual analysis. The Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co. printer credit on the reverse confirms the English security printer used for this series.
