50 rupees 1936
Market Prices
About This Note
This is a 1936 Government of Seychelles 50 Rupees note (Pick P-5b), printed by the prestigious Thomas de la Rue of London. The note features a portrait of King George V in profile on the right side within an ornamental oval frame, rendered in orange/peach and blue tones characteristic of the era. In Fair (F) condition, this note displays significant age-related wear including yellowing, foxing, creasing from circulation, and faded coloring—typical of a well-handled historical note nearly 90 years old.
Common. The eBay market data provided shows multiple sales of this note in various grades, with F-grade examples selling in the $155 range against the 2016 catalog value of $850. The wide availability of sales data and relatively modest prices for circulated examples indicate this was a standard government issue with adequate print run. The catalog values are notably higher than current market realization, suggesting the note is more common than its catalog rating implies.
This note was issued during the final decade of King George V's reign (1910-1936) and represents Seychelles' formal government currency authorization during the British colonial period. The portrait medallion depicts George V in left profile, a standard iconographic element across British Commonwealth currency of the 1920s-1930s, reinforcing imperial sovereignty and legitimacy of the colonial administration's monetary authority.
The obverse features an ornate rectangular border with decorative corner ornaments containing geometric and floral interlocking patterns, typical of the security printing aesthetic of Thomas de la Rue during this period. The dominant portrait is King George V, shown as a bearded man in profile facing left, contained within an elaborate oval medallion frame with ornamental border work. The color scheme employs orange/peach primary tones with dark blue for text and portrait linework, creating strong visual contrast. The note is uniface (printed on one side only), with text occupying the left and center areas and the portrait medallion positioned prominently on the right. The repeating fan and geometric motifs in the border serve both decorative and security purposes. The back is largely blank cream/tan colored paper with no printed design.
Front side: 'FIFTY RUPEES' (denomination), 'ISSUED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF SEYCHELLES' (issuing authority), 'THESE NOTES ARE LEGAL TENDER FOR THE PAYMENT OF ANY AMOUNT' (legal tender declaration), 'GOVERNOR' (signature authorization line), 'THOMAS DE LA RUE & COMPANY, LIMITED, LONDON' (printer attribution), 'A 012222' (serial number, printed twice). Back side: '012222' (handwritten reference notation), '29' and 'OS' (archival/cataloging pencil markings in red and gray).
Intaglio/Recess printing by Thomas de la Rue & Company, Limited, London. The fine line work visible in the portrait medallion, decorative borders, and text inscriptions are characteristic of high-security intaglio printing used for currency production. The ornate corner and border patterns show the detailed line work and layering typical of TDLR's banknote production methods during the interwar period.
This is specifically the P-5b variety, indicating a date variety (1936) within the broader 1928-1936 issuance range. The note exhibits signature variety typical of this issue, with handwritten governor signatures present. Serial number prefix 'A' with the sequence '012222' is visible. The presence of red and gray archival markings on the reverse ('29' and 'OS') suggests this example has institutional collection history, possibly from museum or dealer inventory.
