Catalog
5 Rupees
| Issuer | Oriental Bank Corporation, Ceylon |
|---|---|
| Year | 1864 |
| Type | Pattern or trial banknote |
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| Obverse description | The obverse carries a central vignette of the British Royal Arms supported by a lion and a unicorn, surmounted by a crown, with the motto 'DIEU ET MON DROIT' visible below; flanking the arms are two oval guilloche panels each inscribed 'FIVE RUPEES' in English, with corresponding script legends in Sinhala and Tamil above. The text 'THE ORIENTAL BANK CORPORATION' is set in bold letterpress across the upper body of the note, with a manuscript promise-to-pay clause in italic script below, referencing payment at their branch in Colombo or at their Bank in 'FIVE RUPEES' or the equivalent in the currency of the island. The note bears the inscription 'CEYLON 15th Feby 1864' as the place and date of issue, with ruled lines for serial number, account, and agent signature at the foot, all within a fine engine-turned border. |
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| Obverse lettering | INCORPORATED BY ROYAL CHARTER FIVE RUPEES FIVE RUPEES CEYLON 15th Feby 1864 THE ORIENTAL BANK CORPORATION Promise to pay the Bearer on demand at their Branch here or at their Bank in Colombo FIVE RUPEES or the equivalent in the Currency of this Island. Value received. By order of the Court of Directors, Ent.d Account. Agent. |
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| Comments |
The Oriental Bank Corporation was one of the great overextended imperial banks — headquartered in London, operating across India, Ceylon, China, Japan, and the Pacific, and ultimately collapsing in 1884 when bad loans in Mauritius and the Caribbean triggered a run it couldn't survive. This note predates that failure by two decades, issued when the bank still held the prestige of a Royal Charter and operated as Ceylon's de facto issuing authority in the absence of a government currency infrastructure.
Perkins Bacon's intaglio work for colonial banking clients in this period was among the finest anti-counterfeiting technology available. The Oriental Bank series for Ceylon is genuinely scarce — most branches destroyed their stocks during the 1884 liquidation.