Currency Notes

Name of The Currency: Rupees (Rs) – Central Bank of Sri Lanka.

Rs. 20 Currency Note: Dimension: 128 x 67 mm Predominant Colour: Maroon Front: Port of Colombo (a recent and an early view). The bird – “Sri Lanka Serendib Scops Owl”; the butterfly – “The Baronet”. Back: “Ves Netuma” dancer (Kandyan dance form) And “Geta bera” drummer. Background – Guard Stone with “Punkalasa” (pot of plenty), “Liya Vela” (single floral design) and map of Sri Lanka.

Rs. 50 Currency Note: Dimension: 133 x 67 mm Predominant Colour: Blue Front: New bridge at Manampitiya alongside the old bridge and Demodara ancient Railway arch bridge in the background. The bird – “Sri Lanka Dull Blue Flycatcher”; The butterfly – “The Blue Oakleaf’. Back: “Vadiga Patuna” dancer, (Low Country dance form) and “Yak bera” drummer Background – Guard Stone with “Punkalasa”, “Liya Vela” and map of Sri Lanka.

Rs. 100 Currency Note: Dimension: 138 x 67 mm Predominant Colour: Orange Front: Norochcholai Coal Power Plant Project and Laxapana waterfall in the background. The bird – “Sri Lanka Orange Billed Babbler”; the butterfly – “The Autumn Leaf”. Back: “Bharatanatyam” dancer (Classical South Indian dance form) and “Mridangam” drummer. Background – “Naga” Guard Stone'”‘Dvithva Liya Vela” (double floral design) and map of Sri Lanka.

Rs. 500 Currency Note: Dimension: 143 x 67 mm Predominant Colour: Purple Front: The World Trade Centre and Bank of Ceylon Headquarters (in the city of Colombo). An ancient Buddhist temple “Lankatilaka Viharaya” at Kandy in the background. The bird – “Sri Lanka Emerald Collared Parakeet (Layard’s Parakeet)”; The butterfly – “The Ceylon Indigo Royal”. Back: “Thelme Netuma” dancer (“Devol Maduwa” ritual – Low Country dance form) and “Yak bera” drummer. Background – “Padmanidhi” Guard Stone. “Dvithva Liya Vela” and map of Sri Lanka.

Rs. 1000 Currency Note: Dimension: 148 x 67 mm. Predominant Colour: Green. Front: New Ramboda Tunnel and the rock wall / hood at the same location in the background. The bird – “Sri Lanka Hanging Parrot”; The butterfly – “The White Four Ring”. Back: “Malpadaya Netuma” dancer (Sabaragamuwa dance form) and “Davul bera” drummer. Background – Guard Stone with guardian deities. “Dvithva Liya Vela” and map of Sri Lanka.

Rs. 5000 Currency Note: Dimension: 153 x 67 mm. Predominant Colour: Gold. Front: Weheragala Dam and Canyon Dam in the background. The bird – “Sri Lanka Yellow Eared Bulbul”; The butterfly – “The Lemon Migrant”. Back: “Nagaraksha” and “Guruluraksha dancers (Low Country mask dance) Background – “Rathnaprasada” Guard Stone. “Kalpavruksa” (Wish-granting Tree) floral design and map of Sri Lanka.

How to make sure your currency notes are genuine ?

1. Feel the texture of the special currency note paper.
2. Check the following security features.

• Watermark: Each currency note depicts a different bird as the wallimark, which is the same bird portrayed on the note. In addition, the value in numerals appears vertically as a highlighted watermark.
• Security Thread: The security threads are different for each denomination, and have the letters “CBSL” and the value, e.g.: Rs.20, Rs.100. The width of the windowed Starchrome® thread which *changes colour from red to green in Rs.5000, Rs.1000 and Rs.500 are 3mm, 2.5mm and 2mm, respectively. The thread in Rs. 100, Rs.50 and Rs.20 is embedded in the currency note.
• Cornerstone: Cornerstone® watermark appears in the form of diagonal bars at each corner of every currency note.
• See Through: When the note is held up to the light, the numeral value of the note on the front comes together in perfect register with the reverse on the back of the note.
• Extra Small Text: When viewed closely, an area of text reading “CBSL” and the numeral value can be seen.
• Blind Recognition Feature: A vertical order of heavily printed dots (with one dot for Rs.20 currency note) progressing according to denomination appears on the left hand side of the currency note to help the visually impaired to recognise the denomination.
• Raised Print: Run fingertips across the note and feel the raised printed areas, (e.g.: the Central Bank title, tactile bars, central images etc.).

Reference: Central Bank of Sri Lanka (Currency Department)