1 rupee 1956
About This Note
This is a 1956 Central Bank of Ceylon 1 rupee note (Pick 56a) in Fair condition, showing significant circulation wear with multiple creases, foxing, and discoloration throughout. The note displays the distinctive early post-independence design featuring a lion emblem on the obverse and an ornate temple stairway architectural vignette on the reverse, printed by Bradbury Wilkinson in England. As one of the earliest rupee issues from independent Ceylon, this note represents an important transitional period in Sri Lankan numismatic history.
Common. The 1956-1963 series of 1 rupee notes from the Central Bank of Ceylon were issued in substantial quantities during the early post-independence period. Pick 56a represents a standard issue from a stable, long-running series with no known short print runs or early withdrawal. Fair condition examples remain readily available in the numismatic market at modest valuations, indicating widespread survival and continued common circulation status.
Issued in 1956, this note commemorates Ceylon's early years as an independent nation following independence in 1948. The lion emblem featured prominently on the obverse connects to the nation's heraldic symbols and Buddhist cultural heritage, while the architectural vignette on the reverse likely depicts a significant temple structure, reflecting the central role of Buddhism in Ceylon's national identity during this formative post-colonial period.
The obverse features ornate baroque-style decorative borders in purple, blue, and tan tones framing a central heraldic design. The distinctive element is a lion figure contained within a circular medallion with radiating lines, representing the national emblem of Ceylon. The reverse displays an architectural vignette in the center depicting an ornate temple or religious structure with prominent steps and pillars, characteristic of Sinhalese Buddhist temple architecture. Both sides are enclosed in elaborate ornamental corner designs and floral/geometric patterns typical of 1950s Commonwealth banknote production. The bilingual inscriptions in English and Sinhala reflect Ceylon's post-independence status.
Front Side: 'ශ්රී ලංකා මහ බැංකුව' (Central Bank of Sri Lanka), 'ONE RUPEE' (denomination in English), 'ශ්රීලංකාව' (Sri Lanka), Serial number 'ස 4301123', Date '1956-7-30' (July 30, 1956). Back Side: 'ශ්රී ලංකා මහ බැංකුව' (Central Bank of Sri Lanka), 'ONE RUPEE' (denomination in English), 'ශ්රීලංකාව' (Sri Lanka), 'BRADBURY WILKINSON & CO LTD NEW MALDEN SURREY ENGLAND' (printer attribution).
Intaglio (line engraving) printing by Bradbury Wilkinson & Co Ltd of New Malden, Surrey, England, as noted on the reverse. The fine line work, intricate architectural detailing, and complex decorative patterns visible throughout the note are characteristic of high-security banknote engraving of this era. The precision of the ornamental designs and the depth of the imagery are consistent with steel plate engraving techniques employed by this premier British security printer.
This specific example is dated 1956-7-30 (July 30, 1956), representing one of the earliest dates in the 1956-1963 series. The serial number prefix 'ස' (Sinhala letter Sa) appears consistent with Ceylonese numbering conventions. The note exhibits characteristics of the standard Pick 56a variety with no visible overprints or exceptional markings. Further variety determination would require comparison with documented signature varieties and serial numbering patterns for this specific issue period.
