Catalog
1 Rupee
| Issuer | Union Bank of Burma |
|---|---|
| Year | 1953 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Second Rupee (1945-1952) |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | A detailed intaglio vignette of a traditional Burmese sailing vessel under full sail occupies the central field, set against a mountainous coastal landscape with a smaller boat in the middle distance. To the left, a circular guilloche rosette bears the value inscription 'ONE RUPEE' at its centre. The issuer name 'UNION BANK OF BURMA' is printed in letterpress across the top, with the numeral '1' at upper right and lower corners. |
| Reverse lettering | UNION BANK OF BURMA ONE RUPEE |
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| Comments |
The Union Bank of Burma was established in 1952 as the country's first fully state-owned central bank following independence, replacing the earlier currency arrangement inherited from the colonial period. This 1 Rupee note belongs to the transitional moment before Burma adopted the Kyat in 1952 — making a Rupee-denominated issue from 1953 something of an anomaly worth examining. It may represent stock printed against carryover authorization rather than a fresh monetary policy decision.
Thomas De La Rue's involvement continued directly from the colonial-era printing contracts, a practical continuity that newly independent governments often maintained simply because alternatives took years to arrange.