The Central Bank of Ceylon (CBSL) issued in for circulation, a 500 Rupee Currency Note dated 1981-01-01 in a series of Notes that started in 1981 on theme Historical and Archaeology of Sri Lanka.
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Basic Details
| Theme | Historical and Archaeology of Sri Lanka. |
| Colors | Front – Brown with Pink, Blue, Yellow and Orange in background Back – Brown with Green leaves background decorate. |
| Front |
Landscape |
| Back | Portrait At center is image of the ancient Abayagiri Stupa in Anuradhapura. Foliage with red flowers on top and foliage with a bird at the bottom At bottom centered just below horizontal decorate in small script |
| Sequrity Thread | Thin polyester thread of 1 mm width embedded in note. Micro-printing background pattern. UV Printing: Front: Signature, Date and Serial Numbers, in Green. Three outlines of large Flag Lion with Sword in raised right paw in yellow three Upper left, upper middle and lower right. Back: Highlight of Stupa, foliage at bottom and decorate around watermark panel in Greenish Yellow. |
| Watermark | Hereldic Lion standing on hind legs facing left with bent whip in right paw, Lion Lighter with outline including whip darker than paper. |
| Printer | Bradbury Wilkinson and Company |
| Size | 165 x 79 mm |
| Date of Issue | started in 1981 -01-01 |
| Printed Years | 1981 – 1885 |
UV Printing
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| Denom. | Date on BankNote |
Finance Minister | CBSL Governor | First Serial # | Mintage in K |
| Rs.500 | 1981-01-01 | Ronnie de Mel | Warnasena Rasaputram | J/1 000001 | 5,000 |
| Rs.500 | 1985-01-01 | Ronnie de Mel | Warnasena Rasaputram | J/6 000001 | 1,500 |
| Rs.500 | 1985-01-01 | Ronnie de Mel | Warnasena Rasaputram | J/7 500001 | 1,500 |
The note dated 1985-01-01 is scarce. It had 2 orders With only 1.5 Million notes issued in each. Each order has different format for Serial Prefix as shown on in comparison on left. It changed from a wide horizontal Dash used since 1977 to one that is just as wide as the Number below. The Font size is also larger as illustrated. Note that J/7 comes in both varieties.
Tuan Sallay does not mention the Second order in his book with orders till 1986. According to Fred Medis Bradbury Wilkinson after it was taken over by DeLaRue printed serial numbers on remaining stock of 1985 Rs500 notes for the new order and in the process changed the Serial Prefix format as shown.
The Printers name BRADBURY WILKINSON does not appear on 1981 Currency notes as it does for notes issued from 1982 to 1990 in small script on bottom centered just below horizontal decorate on back
