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Victoria
Portrait Series
The first
set of British
India notes
were the 'Victoria Portrait' Series issued in denominations of 10,
20, 50, 100, 1000. These were unifaced, carried two language panels
and were printed on hand-moulded paper manufactured at the
Laverstock Paper Mills (Portals). The security features incorporated
the watermark (GOVERNMENT OF INDIA, RUPEES, two signatures and wavy
lines), the printed signature and the registration of the notes.
Rupees Ten
Rupees
Hundered
British
India Notes facilitated inter-spatial transfer of funds. As a
security precaution, notes were cut in half. One set was sent by
post. On confirmation of receipt, the other half was despatched by
post.
Half
note
This series remained largely unchanged till the
introduction of the 'King's Portrait' series which commenced in
1923.
Green
Underprint - Rupees Five Hundred
Green
Underprint - Rupees Five
Red Underprint -
Rupees Fifty
Small
Denomination Notes
The introduction of
small denomination notes in
India was
essentially in the realm of the exigent. Compulsions of the first
World War led to the introduction of paper currency of small
denominations. Rupee One was introduced on 30th
November, 1917 followed
by the exotic Rupees Two and Annas Eight. The issuance of these
notes was discontinued on 1st
January, 1926 on cost
benefit considerations. These notes first carried the portrait of
King George V and were the precursors of the 'King's Portrait'
Series which were to follow.
Rupee One -
Obverse
Rupee One
-Reverse
Rupees Two and
Annas Eight - Obverse
King's Portrait Series
Regular issues of this Series carrying the portrait of
George V were introduced in May, 1923 on a Ten Rupee Note. The
King's Portrait Motif continued as an integral feature of all Paper
Money issues of British
India.
Government of India continued
to issue currency notes till 1935 when the Reserve Bank of
India took over
the functions of the Controller of Currency. These notes were issued
in denominations of Rs 5, 10, 50, 100, 500, 1000, 10,000.
Rupees
Fifty
Rupees One
Thousand
Rupees Ten Thousand
the Bank's issues to January 1938
when the first Five Rupee note was issued bearing the portrait of
George VI.
Rupees Five - First
Note issued by Reserve Bank of
India
This was followed by Rs 10 in February, Rs
100 in March and Rs 1,000 and Rs 10,000 in June 1938.
Rupees One
Hundred
Rupees One
Thousand
Rupees Ten Thousand
In August 1940, the one-rupee
note was reintroduced, once again as a war time measure, as a
Government note with the status of a rupee coin,
Rupee One
Obverse
Rupee One Reverse
Rupees
Two
As an added security feature,
the security thread was introduced for the first time in
India.
George VI
Profile
George VI
Frontal
The George VI series continued till
1947 and thereafter as a frozen series till 1950 when post
independence notes were issued.
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