Sri Lanka 20 Rupees 2001 Pick 109b UNC Banknote
The Sri Lanka 20 Rupees 2001 Pick 109b is a colourful circulation banknote issued by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka as part of the country’s Heritage Series.
Dated 12 December 2001, the note measures approximately 128 × 63 mm and is predominantly purple in colour. The Heritage Series was used for many years and underwent several revisions, making individual dates and Pick varieties particularly interesting for collectors of Sri Lankan paper money. Numista
Presented in UNC (Uncirculated) condition, this 2001 issue is an attractive and affordable addition to an Asian or worldwide banknote collection.
Historical Background
The Central Bank of Sri Lanka has issued the country’s banknotes under its present name since 1977. The 20 Rupees denomination itself was first introduced in 1979. Wikipedia
The 2001 issue belongs to the Sri Lanka Heritage Series, a family of notes that originated in 1991 and continued through numerous revisions into the 2000s. The series combines imagery of Sri Lanka’s cultural heritage with representations of agriculture, industry and national development. Wikipedia
Technical Specifications
- Country: Sri Lanka
- Denomination: 20 Rupees
- Date: 12 December 2001
- Pick Number: P-109b
- Condition: Uncirculated (UNC)
- Issuer: Central Bank of Sri Lanka
- Currency: Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR)
- Material: Paper
- Dimensions: 128 × 63 mm
- Dominant Colour: Purple
- Series: Sri Lanka Heritage Series
- Type: Standard circulation banknote Real Banknotes
Obverse
The obverse combines Sri Lankan cultural imagery with the denomination and official inscriptions of the Central Bank.
The design includes:
- Traditional Sri Lankan artistic elements
- 20 Rupees denomination
- Central Bank of Sri Lanka inscriptions
- Sinhala and Tamil scripts
- English inscriptions
- Serial numbers
- Intricate multicoloured security patterns
The elaborate design is characteristic of the Heritage Series, which sought to combine Sri Lanka’s historical identity with contemporary banknote design.
Reverse
The reverse is printed in the distinctive vertical orientation characteristic of Sri Lankan banknotes from this period. Sri Lanka became particularly recognisable among world-banknote collectors for using conventional horizontal designs on the front while arranging important reverse imagery vertically. Wikipedia
The reverse continues the Heritage Series theme with imagery related to Sri Lankan culture and national development.
Security Features
The 2001 20 Rupees incorporates several security features, including:
- Security thread
- Repeated text within the security strip
- Detailed fine-line patterns
- Complex multicoloured printing
- Serial numbering
- UV-reactive elements
- Security watermark
On this denomination, the embedded security strip can be read under transmitted light and repeatedly identifies the Central Bank of Sri Lanka and the Twenty Rupees denomination. Numista
Why Add This Banknote to Your Collection?
The Sri Lanka 20 Rupees 2001 Pick 109b UNC banknote is an appealing example of Sri Lanka’s colourful Heritage Series and offers an accessible way to add South Asian currency to a collection.
It is particularly suitable for collectors of Sri Lankan banknotes, Asian paper money, colourful world currency, vertically designed banknotes, Heritage Series issues and UNC world banknotes.
Collector’s Note
The 2001 issue is catalogued as Pick 109b, distinguishing it from the other dated varieties of this long-running 20 Rupees design. Collector-market references specifically identify the 2001 P-109b variety, making the Pick number important when cataloguing the note rather than simply recording it as a generic Heritage Series N₨20. Real Banknotes
The note is also interesting as part of a transitional period in Sri Lankan currency: the Heritage Series remained in use through numerous revisions before eventually giving way to the substantially redesigned Development, Prosperity and Sri Lanka Dancers series.
