Prefix+Serial Numbers of Date changes
in Current Sri Lanka BankNotes

Unlike in the past, the Central Bank (CBSL) since early 2017 has not published the range of Prefix+Serial numbers for each denomination and issue date on Banknote. After the Single Note Inspection Machine (SNIM) was adopted and replacement notes were discontinued in early 2017, the notes are also no longer issued in Sequence of Prefix+Serial Number. RTI requests to CBSL have yielded incomplete and sometimes misleading information.

The Rs100 note with signatures of Ravi Karunanayake and Indrajit Coomaraswamy dated 2016-07-04 were the first banknotes subject to SNIM which were released to public. I collected from circulation, one Rs100 Banknotes of every prefix from U/471 to U/588 as I found them. The first saw I found was U/576. Unlike previously when they were issued in order of prefix, after SNIM, the Bricks of Banknotes were being issued from CBSL in a random prefix order as the stock is now controlled by a computerized database.

The new SNIM inspected and packed in Brick of 1000 Banknotes are shrink wrapped including a band that had a CBSL logo and a bar-code. The Bar-Code is a direct reference to the CBSL Banknote database which will indicate what serial numbers are included in each of the 10 packs of 100 notes included in the brick. Previously notes were stacked and issued carefully in the Serial Number order, since that was the only way they could book keep properly. Now all is handled by automated Cash Management software which will be able to say from the Bar-code on the Brick, the serial numbers contained in it, and on what day it was issued, to which bank. So there is no-longer the need to keep careful track of the order in which banknotes are stacked or issued.

Change over from one date to a new date and signature pair could occur midway of a single prefix. Collectors had to work that out by tracking the Prefix+Serial Numbers on the Banknotes, with the date and Signatures on them till the changes prefix and serial was obtained by me from CBSL via RTI.
Notes with the same Prefix and different Dates and Signature pairs are becoming regular with the introduction of SNIM and no Replacements.
As listed in table below they are also interesting collectibles for the Specialist.
On top of each column is the new date of the start Serial listed below. This was rare in older series, but Johann Dekker did show me such a collection.
Try to get as close as possible to the change over Serial Number from both sides.
A good replacement for those missing collecting rare replacements !!

Value1992-07-011994-08-191995-11-152001-12-122004-04-102004-07-012005-11-192006-07-03
Rs 10M/17 190K M/78 190K M/147 190KM/267 190KM/347 190KM/387 190KM/462 515KM/552 515K
Rs 20L/20 500K L/35 500K L/41 500KL/181 500K --- L/261 500KL/301 921KL/366 921K
Rs 50K/6 K/43 K/60 K/155 K/190 K/220 K/245 192KK/280 192K
Rs 100J/16 --- J/126 J/236 --- J/236 J/391 250KJ/531 250K
Rs 500H/21 --- H/37 H/72 H/87 H/97 H/112 151K---
Rs1000G/5 --- G/31 G/106 G/131 G/156 --- G/186 650K
Rs2000 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- P/31

Value2015-02-042016-07-042017-05-222019-01-282019-12-242020-08-122021-09-152022-07-04
Rs 20W/281 W/411 W/496 --- W/579 W/611 400KW/644 880KW/725
Rs 50V/141 V/161 V/266 --- V/293 500KV/309 592KV/327 817KV/371
Rs 100U/316 U/471 U/588 200KU/707 750KU/724 250KU/762 050KU/826 760KU/913
Rs 500T/116 T/131 T/207 779KT/268 280K --- T/323 280KT/334 531KT/367
Rs1000S/196 S/323 --- S/351 S/433 S/482 825K --- S/511
Rs5000R/41 R/91 R/121 R/153 860KR/192 580KR/230 692KR/279 778KR/318

For 2022-07-04 CBSL has decided to start a new prefix for the new signature pair so that their will be no more case of two different dates with the same prefix. This was given in answer to my CBSL RTI 0001/2024 replied on 2024 April 8th.

Reply to RTI 122/2024 stated that a second order dated 2022-07-04 of RW+NW for 45, 30, 55, 30, 60, and 30 Million notes of denominations of Rupees 20, 50, 100, 500, 1,000, and 5,000 have been ordered from DeLaRue in 2024.
This last order for Rs100 ended at U/981. This order of 55M will put it over 1000 and give a 4 digit number in the prefix for the first time, if they don't change the alpha of prefix.

You too can Help

Please look at the Prefix of BankNotes in your collection and when as they pass through your hands in circulation. Please report with Prefix+Serial number and Date,
IF Prefix+Serial number are within ranges requested below, particularly to narrow the current separation to record when Date changes, how close to the changeover Prefix+Serial as specified by CBSL via RTI was seen in circulation. Thanks.

Of the current 2010 Series in circulation till 2016-07-04 the boundaries were at prefix end. From 2020-08-12 all of the Boundaries were in the middle of the prefix, and the same prefix would have two dates and signature pairs which are a popular collectible among some banknote collectors. If the boundary is at prefix end, look 100K on either side. If boundary is in middle of a prefix, look from Start to End of that prefix. Aim here is to record banknotes as close to the boundary as reported.

This page http://notes.lakdiva.org.lk/serial.html was updated with information of Notes seen in Circulation and have/Reported till 2024 January 18th.

Comments

Currently, I acknowledge many reports from Wassim Sattar, Priyadarshan Ravi Ratnapala, Harry Gunawardane, Hemal Chandarratne, Selliah Jackson, and hope to get more.
Please join us and contribute if you can help.
I also thank the patience of the Tellers of HSBC Wellawaththa Branch for changing my circulated currency for me to check prefix before depositing.
I also thank the officials of CBSL currency department for sending me the information requested by RTI 0001/2020, 0078/2021 and 0028/2022.

Email me at kavanr @ gmail.com or SMS me at 0775419494 or 0717072020 or WhatsApp images at +94712537551

Part of notes.lakdiva.org.lk a website for
Banknotes of Ceylon and Sri Lanka since 1785.