Issued in 1970 by the Central Bank of Ceylon, this 2 Rupees banknote belongs to the 1969–1972 series. The obverse features a statue of King Parakramabahu I, surrounded by intricate patterns and inscriptions in Sinhala, Tamil, and English. Also visible is the note’s serial number and signatures from the Central Bank officials of the period.
The reverse depicts the Medirigiriya Vatadage, an ancient circular relic shrine in Polonnaruwa, showcasing Ceylon’s rich architectural and religious history.
Printed on cotton-based paper, this banknote includes a Chinze watermark and multicolored underprint designs. It was printed by Bradbury Wilkinson & Co., London.
The dimensions of the note are 113 × 57 mm. It is cataloged under Pick number P‑72b.
Obverse
King Parakkrama
Lettering:
CENTRAL BANK OF CEYLON
TWO RUPEES (bottom right corner)
Reverse
Medirigiriya Vatadage, Polonnaruwa
Lettering:
CENTRAL BANK OF CEYLON
2 RUPEES
Watermark
Chinze
© gyoschak (CC BY-NC-SA)
Printer
Bradbury Wilkinson and Company, United Kingdom (1856-1990)
Comments
Features
| Issuer | Sri Lanka › Ceylon (1597-1972) |
|---|---|
| Issuing bank | Central Bank of Ceylon |
| Queen | Elizabeth II (1952-1972) |
| Type | Standard circulation banknotes |
| Years | 1969-1972 |
| Value | 2 Rupees |
| Currency | Rupee (1871-1972) |
| Composition | Paper |
| Size | 113 × 57 mm |
| Shape | Rectangular |
| Demonetized | 27 August 1974 |
