50 Rupees

The Government of Mauritius issued currency directly — not through a central bank — well into the twentieth century, a colonial arrangement that kept note-issuing authority in the hands of the civil administration rather than any banking institution. This series spans the years when Mauritius was navigating sugar price volatility and the disruptions of the First World War, both of which strained the island's trade balances and increased demand for higher-denomination notes in commercial transactions.

Pick 18 is among the scarcer government issues of this period. Surviving examples in any condition are infrequently encountered at auction.