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50 Cents
| Issuer | Government of Ceylon |
|---|---|
| Year | 1942 |
| Type | Standard circulation banknote |
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| Obverse description | Plain typeset note printed in black on a pale red underprint, with the denomination 'Fifty Cents' rendered in large italic script at centre, accompanied by Sinhala and Tamil inscriptions below. A boxed numeral '50' with the legend 'FIFTY CENTS' appears at upper right, while an oval red handstamp is visible at centre-left. The date, serial number, and two manuscript signatures of the Commissioners of Currency are positioned along the lower portion of the note. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | THE GOVERNMENT OF CEYLON This note is legal tender for the payment of a sum not exceeding Five Rupees Fifty Cents ශත පනහ ஐம்பது சதம் January 1, 1942 Commissioners of Currency |
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| Comments |
Ceylon's small-denomination government currency notes of 1942 were a direct consequence of the Japanese advance through Southeast Asia. With coin metals urgently diverted to the war effort and the threat of invasion a genuine operational concern, the government issued paper fractional currency as an emergency stopgap. The 50 Cents note was part of that series.
A lesser-known detail: the British authorities maintained contingency plans to demonetize Ceylon's currency rapidly if the island fell, a policy mirroring actions already taken in Malaya and Burma to prevent enemy forces from exploiting local money supplies.