On 2011 August 15th CBSL issued a Public
Notice
announcing an island wide competition titled "Design and Shine", with
closing date was 2011 October 7th, for talented local artists to
contribute designs for a new Series of Rs.10 Coins, offering cash
prizes of Rs. 50,000/- for each selected design.
CBSL invited creative artists, to represent elegantly, the unique
iconic identity of each of the 25 districts of Sri Lanka.
This resulted in 413 designers submitting 1150 designs.
After a rigorous procedure, selected designs were modified for
consistency and adapted for a coin, by one winning designer
Mr. M.N.M. Frizvi. Other prize winning designers remain unnamed.
The issue of the 25 District coin 2013 series was announced in
CBSL Road Map 2013.
The line drawing for Colombo, was first published in the
CBSL Road Map
2014
presented by the Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka on 2014
January 2nd. See transcript of 45 second comment to
slide 149 starting 1:57:17 of the
over 2 hour Video posted on
YouTube.
| SPECIFICATIONS |
| Denomination | Ten Rupee |
| Alloy | Stainless Steel
AISI 430 |
| Diameter | 26.4 mm |
| Thickness | 2.1 mm |
| Weight | 8.36 gms |
| Shape | 11 sided |
| Edge | Plain |
| DieAxis | 0° |
| Mint | Slovak Mint |
|
|
The line drawing at 400 dpi is displayed at 300 dpi.
No Proof coins were ordered, as these are part of the regular
tender given to Mincovna Kremnica of the Slovak Republic for 175
Million circulation Rupees Ten coins. 2 Million coins dated 2013
for each of the 25 Districts makeup 50 Million coins of this order.
Some of the remaining 125 Million had already issued as 2013 Rs10 definitive
coins.
The coins which will be issued into circulation at face value, were
also packaged to sell to collectors.
There was three language versions of packaging with text printed in
English, Sinhala or Thamil.
Produced by and Logo of PrintCare printed vertically appears in English
on the lower-right edge of back of folders and presentation boxs of all
3 languages. Printed by and Logo of PrintCare appears in English
on the lower-right edge of back of folders.
- A Commemorative Folder of Complete set of 25 coins
displayed in a simple 5x5 array in English Alphabetical order with
standard reverse of one coin exposed at back and gives coin
specifications. As decoration The Singing fish of Batticaloa coin is
shown on the panel front, and the fishing trawler of Mullaithivu coin
on the back. Inside of flaps on either side have 14% oversize line
drawings of each coin and brief description below it.
Folder was issued both in a tight fitting 169x199 mm sleeve for Rs1000/- and
a 202x248 mm Presentation box for Rs2000/-.
- Individual Cards (3.5x2.25 inch 89x57 mm ) with one coin of
district each for Rs50. i.e. A Set of 25 District cards costs Rs1250/-
- A Coffee Table Book titled "Our People Our Potential Our Pride"
for the set printed only in English and size 12 inch square was
also issued for Rs4000.
On 4 pages for each district there is a map of island with outline of district
and 3 short paragraphs titled The District, The Potential, The Life.
For each Colombo, Gampaha and Jaffna, there are two extra pages of photographs.
- Epilogue 2.5 years after release, I have encountered only
one coin in circulation for over year, while it should be about 10% of
the Rs10/- coins in circulation. All of them have been taken out of
circulations. Uncirculated sets sell on eBay for US$37 (Rs 5550 or
Rs222 per coin), and individual coins at US$2 (Rs 300). Circulated
coins sell on the Colombo Fort pavement for Rs100 each./ to tourists.
Please read my detailed comments on the issue of these coins and
numismatics products in Blog.
