10 Rupees

Sri Lanka's stainless steel 10-rupee coin was introduced as part of a broader rationalisation of the island's coinage following decades of bimetallic and cupro-nickel issues that proved costly to produce relative to face value. The Central Bank had been under sustained pressure to reduce minting costs as base metal prices fluctuated against the rupee through the 2000s and into the 2010s. Stainless steel offered a durable, economical alternative already adopted by neighbouring India for several denominations.

KM#221 is the current circulation type and remains common in everyday transactions across the island.