By J.A. Fernando in Colombo
The first set of Sri Lanka’s currency notes under the new series will be ceremonially released by the President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the Deyata Kirula Exhibition in Buttala today 4 February.
Central Bank press releases said that the new note series will then be issued to the public from 4 to 10 February 2011 at the exhibition site. “The new notes will be issued to the public through commercial banks from Monday, 7th February 2011.”
Earlier in January, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) said that it will issue, for circulation, a new series of currency notes on the theme “Development, Prosperity and Sri Lanka Dancers” in February 2011.
Accordingly the new series of notes is the 11th series of currency notes of the Central Bank to be issued since its establishment in 1950. The existing note series which was the 10th series of circulation notes was introduced by the CBSL in 1991, over 20 years ago. The new series consists of six denominations i.e. Rs. 5,000, Rs. 1,000, Rs. 500, Rs. 100, Rs. 50 and Rs. 20. The high value Rs. 5000 note is being introduced to facilitate expansion in transactions that has taken place with the growth of the economy.
According to Central Bank, the main difference between the existing series and the new series is the size of the notes. The width of all notes in the new series is the same for all denominations, while the length increases by 5 millimeters from the lowest denomination to the highest.
However, the new Sri Lankan currency note series also comes with several current and new advanced security features including a new ‘Watermark’ displacing older ‘Lion with the Sword Watermark’ where each currency note depicts a different bird as the watermark, which is the same bird portrayed on the note. In addition, the value in numerals appears vertically as a highlighted watermark.
The security thread in Rs. 20, Rs. 50 and Rs. 100 is a thin polyester thread embedded in to the note with the letters CBSL and the denomination, while a Starchrome ® security thread which changes color from red to green is included in Rs.5000, Rs.1000 and Rs.500 with the width of 3 millimeters, 2.5 millimeters and 2 millimeters, respectively.
Another Cornerstone® watermark appears in the form of diagonal bars at each corner of every currency note as per Central bank.
While a new note is held up to the light, the numeral value of each note on the front (near the butterfly) comes together in perfect register with the reverse, on the back of the note and if someone viewed closely below the butterfly, an area of text reading “CBSL” and the numeral value can be seen in all the notes.
Lately in the new currency series, a vertical order of heavily printed dots (with one dot for Rs. 20 note) progressing according to denomination appears on the left side of the note to help the visually impaired to recognize the denomination.
On the other hand, a raised printed area with greater tactility is noticed in several places on the notes as per Central Bank such as the front of the note – the Bank title, the central images, the value at the bottom edge of the note and on the back of the note - the value at the bottom in numerals.
 |  |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |  |
- Asian Tribune -
