Banknotes of the Sri Lankan rupee

The banknotes of the Sri Lanka rupee are part of the physical form of Sri Lanka's currency. The issuance of the rupee banknotes began in 1895.

The Government of Ceylon introduced its first paper money in the form of the 5 rupee banknote in 1895. These were followed by 10 rupee notes in 1894, 1000 rupee notes in 1899, 50 rupee notes in 1914, 1 and 2 rupee notes in 1917 and 100 and 500 rupee notes in 1926. In 1942, emergency issues for 5, 10, 25 and 50 cents were introduced and issued until 1949.

In 1951, the Central Bank of Ceylon took over the issuance of paper money, introducing 1 and 10 rupee notes. These were followed in 1952 by 2, 5, 50 and 100 rupee notes. The 1 rupee notes were replaced by coins in 1963.

From 1977, banknotes were issued by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. 20 rupees notes were introduced in 1979, followed by 500 and 1000 rupees in 1981, 200 rupees in 1998 and 2000 rupees in 2006. Sri Lankan banknotes are unusual in that they are printed vertically on the reverse. In 1998, a 200-rupee note was issued to commemorate the 50th anniversary of independence (1948–1998). This is the first polymer banknote issued in Sri Lanka, and it was printed by Note Printing Australia. All other denominations are printed by the De la Rue Lanka Currency and Securities Print (Pvt) Ltd, a joint venture of the Government of Sri Lanka and De La Rue, a printing company in the United Kingdom.

Banknotes

Private Banks

Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie (United East India Company)

Private Series
Image		Value	Description				Key Dates
Image	Watermark		Obverse	Reverse	Main Color	Dimensions	First Issued	Other Issues
		1 rix dollar					1785	1785-1786
		2 rix dollars
		3 rix dollars
		4 rix dollars
		5 rix dollars
		10 rix dollars
		20 rix dollars
		50 rix dollars
		100 rix dollars
		200 rix dollars
		500 rix dollars

Bank of Ceylon

Private Series 3
Image		Value	Description				Key Dates
Image	Watermark		Obverse	Reverse	Main Color	Dimensions	First Issued	Other Issues
		1 pound					1800s
		5 pounds
		10 pounds
		20 pounds

Asiatic Banking Corporation

Private Series 2
Image		Value	Description				Key Dates
Image	Watermark		Obverse	Reverse	Main Color	Dimensions	First Issued	Other Issues
		10 shillings	Flower	Flower	Green		1865
		1 pound
		5 pounds
		10 pounds

Chartered Mercantile Bank of India, London & China, Colombo / Galley / Kandy

Private Series 4
Image		Value	Description				Key Dates
Image	Watermark		Obverse	Reverse	Main Color	Dimensions	First Issued	Other Issues
		5 rupees					1867
		10 rupees
		50 rupees
		100 rupees
		500 rupees
		1000 rupees

Oriental Bank Corporation, Badulla / Colombo / Galley / Jaffna / Kandy / Newera Ellia

Private Series 5
Image		Value	Description				Key Dates
Image	Watermark		Obverse	Reverse	Main Color	Dimensions	First Issued	Other Issues
		5 rupees					1869	1869-1884
		10 rupees
		50 rupees
		100 rupees

Government of Ceylon

Government of Ceylon series, 1885's

Government of Ceylon series
Image		Value	Description				Key Dates
Image	Watermark		Obverse	Reverse	Main Color	Dimensions	First Issued	Other Issues
	Sri Lankan Lion	1 rupee	Flower	Flower	Green		1914	1930, 1939
		10 rupees

Government of Ceylon 2nd series, 1930s

Government of Ceylon series
Image		Value	Description				Key Dates
Image	Watermark		Obverse	Reverse	Main Color	Dimensions	First Issued	Other Issues
	Sri Lankan Lion	1 rupee	Flower	Flower	Green		1914	1930, 1939
		2 rupee		(Blank)
		10 rupees					1914
		50 rupees

Government of Ceylon 2nd series, 1930s

Government of Ceylon series
Image		Value	Description				Key Dates
Image	Watermark		Obverse	Reverse	Main Color	Dimensions	First Issued	Other Issues
	Sri Lankan Lion	5 cents			Green		1914	1930, 1939
		25 cents
		50 cents

King George VI series, 1940s

King George VI series
Image		Value	Description				Key Dates
Image	Watermark		Obverse	Reverse	Main Color	Dimensions	First Issued	Other Issues
	Sri Lankan Lion	10 cents	George VI				1942
		25 cents
		50 cents
		1 rupee		Elephant	Green
		2 rupee
		10 rupees		Laxapana Waterfall			1942
		100 rupees

Central Bank Of Sri Lanka

King George VI 2nd series, 1951

King George VI 2nd series
Image		Value	Description				Key Dates
Image	Watermark		Obverse	Reverse	Main Color	Dimensions	First Issued	Other Issues
	Sri Lankan Lion	1 rupee	George VI		Blue		1951
		10 rupees

Queen Elizabeth II series, 1952

Queen Elizabeth II series
Image		Value	Description				Key Dates
Image	Watermark		Obverse	Reverse	Main Color	Dimensions	First Issued	Other Issues
	Sri Lankan Lion	1 rupee	Elizabeth II		Blue		1952
		2 rupees
,		5 rupees
		10 rupees
		50 rupees			Light Blue
		100 rupees

Armorial Ensign of Ceylon series, 1956

Armorial Ensign of Ceylon series
Image		Value	Description				Key Dates
Image	Watermark		Obverse	Reverse	Main Color	Dimensions	First Issued	Other Issues
	Sri Lankan Lion	1 rupee	Coat of arms		Light blue		1956	1956-1963
		2 rupees			Dark red
		5 rupees			Bright red
		10 rupees			Green
		50 rupees			Blue
		100 rupees			Olive

S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike Portrait series, 1962

S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike Portrait series
Image		Value	Description				Key Dates
Image	Watermark		Obverse	Reverse	Main Color	Dimensions	First Issued	Other Issues
	Sri Lankan Lion	2 rupees	S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike				1962	1962-1965
		5 rupees
		10 rupees				Green
		50 rupees				Purple, light green
		100 rupees

King Parakramabahu Series, 1965

King Parakramabahu Series
Image		Value	Description				Key Dates
Image	Watermark		Obverse	Reverse	Main Color	Dimensions	First Issued	Other Issues
,	Sri Lankan Lion	2 rupees	Parakramabahu I				1965	1965-1977
,		5 rupees			Orange-Red		1969
,		10 rupees			Green
,		50 rupees					1967
,		100 rupees					1965

S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike 2nd Series, 1970

S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike Series
Image		Value	Description				Key Dates
Image	Watermark		Obverse	Reverse	Main Color	Dimensions	First Issued	Other Issues
	Sri Lankan Lion	50 rupees	S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike		Blue		1970
		100 rupees			Red

S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike 3rd Series, 1971

S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike Series
Image		Value	Description				Key Dates
Image	Watermark		Obverse	Reverse	Main Color	Dimensions	First Issued	Other Issues
	50 rupees		Purple	S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike		1971	1971-1974	Sri Lankan Lion
	100 rupees

Armorial Ensign of Sri Lanka series, 1975

Armorial Ensign of Sri Lanka series
Image		Value	Description				Key Dates
Image	Watermark		Obverse	Reverse	Main Color	Dimensions	First Issued	Other Issues
	50 rupees		Light purple	Emblem	Terraced hillside	26 August 1977	1977	Sri Lankan Lion
	100 rupees		Light purple, gray		26 August 1977	1977	1975

Fauna and Flora Series, 1979

Fauna and Flora Series
Image		Value	Description				Key Dates
Image	Watermark		Obverse	Reverse	Main Color	Dimensions	First Issued	Other Issues
	Sri Lankan Lion	2 rupees	Fish		Red		26 March 1979	1979
		5 rupees	Butterfly and Lizard		Purple
		10 rupees			Green
		20 rupees	Bird		Brown
		50 rupees			Blue
		100 rupees			Orange

Historical and Archaeological series, 1981

Historical and Archaeological series
Image		Value	Description				Key Dates
Image	Watermark		Obverse	Reverse	Main Color	Dimensions	First Issued	Other Issues
	Sri Lankan Lion	5 rupees			Red		1982	1 January 1982
		10 rupees	Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic		Green			1 January 1982 1 January 1985
		20 rupees	Moonstone		Purple
		50 rupees			Blue			1 January 1982
		100 rupees			Orange
		500 rupees			Light brown		1981	1 January 1981 1 January 1985
		1000 rupees		Dam	Light green

Historical and Development series, 1987

Historical and Development series
Image		Value	Description				Key Dates
Image	Watermark		Obverse	Reverse	Main Color	Dimensions	First Issued	Other Issues
	Sri Lankan Lion	10 rupees	Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic		Green		1987	1 January 1987 21 November 1988 21 February 1989 5 April 1990
		20 rupees	Moonstone		Purple		1988	21 November 1988 21 February 1989 5 April 1990
		50 rupees			Blue
		100 rupees			Orange		1987	1 January 1987 21 November 1988 21 February 1989 5 April 1990
		500 rupees			Light brown
		1000 rupees	Dam	Peacock, mountains	Light green			1 January 1987 21 February 1989 5 April 1990

Sri Lanka Heritage series, 1991, 2005

The Heritage Series saw many revisions throughout its life since 1991 up to 2010. The 1995 revision had an enhanced latent image at the center bottom of obverse sides. The 2001 revision added wider metallic strip to the 500 and 1000 rupee notes.

Sri Lanka Heritage series (Series currently in Circulation)
Image	Value	Dimensions	Color	Issued dates	Watermark
, ,	10 rupees		Green	1 January 1991 1 July 1992 19 August 1994 15 November 1995 12 December 2001 10 April 2004 1 July 2004 19 November 2005 3 July 2006	A lion holding a sword
, ,	20 rupees	128 X 63 mm	Purple
, ,	50 rupees		Blue
, , ,	100 rupees	143 X 71 mm	Orange
, ,	500 rupees		Light orange and purple
, ,	1000 rupees	158 X 79 mm	Light green
	2000 rupees		Orange and Pink	2 November 2005 3 July 2006

Development, Prosperity and Sri Lanka Dancers series, 2010

To celebrate its 60th anniversary, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka issued a new series of banknotes on 4 February 2011. The series was designed by two Sri Lankan artists selected from an island-wide competition. The themes of the new notes are Development and Prosperity, and Sri Lankan Dancers. The fronts of the new notes bear artistic impressions of selected development projects in Sri Lanka and native birds and butterflies. The backs depict Sri Lankan traditional dancers and guard stones in a background of a map of Sri Lanka. This new family does not include a 10-rupee note because that denomination was replaced by a coin on 5 April 2010. ^[1]

Development, Prosperity and Sri Lanka Dancers (Series currently in Circulation)
Image	Value	Dimensions	Color	Issued dates	Watermark
	20 rupees	128 x 67 mm	Pink	1 January 2010 4 February 2015	Serendib scops owl
	50 rupees	133 x 67 mm	Blue		Dull-blue flycatcher
	100 rupees	138 x 67 mm	Orange		Orange-billed babbler
	500 rupees	143 x 67 mm	Purple		Layard's parakeet
	1000 rupees	148 x 67 mm	Green		Sri Lanka Hanging parrot
	5000 rupees	153 x 67 mm	Brown		Yellow-eared bulbul

On 5 April 2010 Sri Lanka replaced the 10 rupee note with a coin. ^[2]

Commemorative notes

Main article: Sri Lankan commemorative notes

The Central Bank of Sri Lanka has issued five commemorative notes in recognition of significant events of national importance. In 1998 a 200 rupee note was issued on Independence day to commemorate the 50th Independence Anniversary of the country. In 2009 a 1000 rupee note was issued commemorating the end of the Sri Lankan Civil War and the Ushering of Peace and Prosperity. In 2013 a 500 rupee note was issued for Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2013 held in Sri Lanka.

Commemorative Banknotes of Sri Lanka
Image		Value	Description				Key Dates
Image	Watermark		Purpose	Main Color	Dimensions	Material	First Issued	Original Design Release
	A lion holding a sword	200 rupees	50th Anniversary of Sri Lanka regaining Independence	Blue	146.5 x 73.0 mm	polymer	4 February 1998
	A lion holding a sword	1000 rupees	The ushering of peace and prosperity to Sri Lanka		157 X 78.5 mm	paper	20 May 2009	17 November 2009 [3] [4]
	Layard's Parakeet	500 rupees	Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2013 held in Sri Lanka	Purple	143 x 67 mm		15 November 2013
	Sri Lanka Hanging parrot	1000 rupees	70th Anniversary of Sri Lanka regaining Independence	Green	148 x 67 mm		4 February 2018
	A lion holding a sword	2000 rupees	75th Anniversary of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka	Blue	151 x 67 mm		28 August 2025 [5]

See also

• Coins of the Sri Lankan rupee

References

1. Linzmayer, Owen (2012). "Sri Lanka". The Banknote Book. San Francisco, CA: BanknoteNews.com.
2. "Sri Lanka replaces 10-Rupee note with coin". Banknote News. 5 April 2010. Archived from the original on 2011-10-07. Retrieved 2011-02-12.
3. "Sri Lanka new 1,000-rupee commemorative confirmed". BanknoteNews.com. 19 December 2009.
4. "Sri Lanka new 1,000-rupee commemorative note (B122a) confirmed – BanknoteNews" . Retrieved 2021-05-20.
5. "New Rs 2000 note with President AKD's signature released". Newswire. Retrieved 29 August 2025.

External links

• Currency Museum - Central Bank of Sri Lanka
• Ceylon/Sri Lanka Banknotes - lakdiva.org
• Banknote World
• Sri Lanka and Ceylon Banknotes
• History of Currency in Sri Lanka