5 Rupees 1951, India
| in Krause book | Number: 33b |
| Years of issue: | 07.1949 - 01.1957 |
| Edition: | |
| Signatures: | Governor: Mr. B. Rama Rau (in office July 1949 - January 1957) |
| Serie: | No Serie |
| Specimen of: | 07.1949 |
| Material: | Cotton fiber |
| Size (mm): | 126 х 72 |
| Printer: | Security Printing and Minting Corporation of India Limited (SPMCIL), New Delhi |
* All pictures marked 
are increased partially by magnifying glass, the remaining open in full size by clicking on the image.
** The word "Specimen" is present only on some of electronic pictures, in accordance with banknote images publication rules of appropriate banks.
Description
Watermark:
The coat of arms of India.
Avers:
Serial number is in lower right corner.
On right side is the coat of arms of India.
This is the famous original sandstone sculpted Lion Capital of Ashoka preserved at Sarnath Museum, which was originally erected around 250 BCE atop an Ashoka Pillar at Sarnath. The angle from which this picture has been taken, minus the inverted bell-shaped lotus flower, has been adopted as the National Emblem of India showing the Horse on the left and the Bull on the right of the Ashoka Chakra in the circular base on which the four Indian lions are standing back to back. On the far side there is an Elephant and a Lion instead. The wheel "Ashoka Chakra" from its base has been placed onto the center of the National Flag of India.
The coat of arms of India is the symbol of India, formally called as "National emblem". It has four Indian lions standing on a circle. The idea for this coat of arms was taken from the Sarnath Lion Capital that was built by an Indian emperor named Ashoka. It's a pillar in the city named Sarnath. Ashoka built it around 250 BC using a single piece of polished sandstone. The symbol is invariably used on all types of currency notes, passports and coins of India. In the two dimensional view of this symbol, one can only see three lions, facing left right and straight. The fourth one remains hidden behind the three.
The lions represent royalty and pride. The wheel beneath the lions is called the Ashoka Chakra or Dharmachakra comes from Buddhism, representing Truth and Honesty. The horse and the bull probably stand for the Strength (Mental) of the people of India. There are four Ashoka Chakras in total around the emblem and two horses and bulls each. The verse written below, Satyamev Jayate is a very popular and revered saying in the ancient language Sanskrit. It can be divided phonetically into three words - Satyam, which means truth, Ev or aev, that is, only and Jayate which means wins or won. The whole verse can be translated as "Only the truth will win or wins". This verse describes the power of honesty and truth in society and religion. You can lie to your friends, family, even your God, but you cannot lie to yourself. Your conscience will forever be stained.
The verse can also be translated as "The truth alone triumphs". Meaning that even after all the lies and deceptions with which we have been fooled, the truth will finally emerge victorious.
Denomination in words is centered.
Revers:
Eight lines in Hindi language. The fourth line is 21 mm. in length.
On bottom are Blackbucks (Antilope cervicapra). It is a species of antelope. It is mainly found in western India, but also in parts of Pakistan within the Republic of India. It is the provincial animal of Eastern Punjab, and is also found in Nepal.
The blackbuck inhabits grassy plains and slightly forested areas. Due to their regular need of water, they prefer areas where water is readily available for a long time. The antelope is native to and found mainly in India, while it is extinct in Bangladesh. Today, only small, scattered herds are seen, largely confined to protected areas.During the XX century, blackbuck numbers declined sharply due to excessive hunting, deforestation and habitat degradation. The blackbuck has been successfully introduced in Argentina and USA. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) lists the blackbuck as Near Threatened. In India, hunting of blackbuck is prohibited under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. The blackbuck has significance in Hinduism; Indian and Nepali villagers mean no harm to the antelope. 
In the middle is the seal of Indian reserve Bank.
The selection of the Bank's common seal to be used as the emblem of the Bank on currency notes, cheques and publications, was an issue that had to be taken up at an early stage of the Bank's formation.
The general ideas on the seal were as follows:
1) The seal should emphasise the Governmental status of the Bank, but not too closely
2) It should have something Indian in the design
3) It should be simple, artistic and heraldically correct
4) The design should be such that it could be used without substantial alteration for letter heading, etc.
For this purpose, various seals, medals and coins were examined. The East India Company "Double Mohur", with the sketch of the Lion and Palm Tree, was found most suitable; however, it was decided to replace the lion by the tiger, the latter being regarded as the more characteristic animal of India!
To meet the immediate requirements in connection with the stamping of the Bank's share certificates, the work was entrusted to a Madras firm. The Board, at its meeting on February 23, 1935, approved the design of the seal but desired improvement of the animal's appearance. Unfortunately it was not possible to make any major changes at that stage. But the Deputy Governor, Sir James Taylor, did not rest content with this. He took keen interest in getting fresh sketches prepared by the Government of India Mint and the Security Printing Press, Nasik. As a basis for good design, he arranged for a photograph to be taken of the statue of the tiger on the entrance gate at Belvedere, Calcutta. Something or the other went wrong with the sketches so that Sir James, writing in September I938, was led to remark:
"...... s tree is all right but his tiger looks too like some species of dog, and I am afraid that a design of a dog and a tree would arouse derision among the irreverent. .....'s tiger is distinctly good but the tree has spoiled it. The stem is too long and the branches too spidery, but I should have thought that by putting a firm line under the feet of his tiger and making his tree stronger and lower we could get quite a good result from his design".
Later, with further efforts, it was possible to have better proofs prepared by the Security Printing Press, Nasik. However, it was eventually decided not to make any change in the existing seal of the Bank, and the new sketches came to be used as an emblem for the Bank's currency notes, letter-heads, cheques and publications issued by the Bank.
Source: Reserve Bank of India.
Denomination in numeral is on left side.
Comments:
If you find my work useful I will be grateful for any help in supporting the site.
-
PayPal