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1 Baht 1933, Thailand

in Krause book Number: 16b
Years of issue: 08.06.1933
Edition: --
Signatures: Ministers of Finance: Mr. Chaopraya Sritammatibet
Serie: Second Issue
Specimen of: 01.04.1925
Material: Cotton fiber
Size (mm): 135 х 74
Printer: TDLR (Thomas de la Rue & Company), London

* All pictures marked magnify 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.

1 Baht 1933

Description

Watermark:

Avers:

1 Baht 1933

His majesty the King Vajiravudh (King Rama VI) acceded to the throne in November 1910. The government purposed a new changing in counterfeiting protection feature of the new series by Intaglio printing.

The front of banknote comprised of a guilloched bow at the center that placed the value of denomination on it with the twelve microprinted rays went to all directions.

The garuda image, the royal insignia, were placed on the left top while the three-headed elephant were at the lower right. The legend "Siam Government" located at the middle top above the Thai inscription " promise to pay to the holder in Siam currency". The serial number and date of printed were both English at the left and Thai at the right.

coat

In the top left corner is Garuda - national emblem of Thailand.

In 1910 king Vajiravudh abandoned the National Achievements of 1873 altogether and ordered Phra Dhevabhinimit to create a new one. This featured the Garuda of Chulalongkorn. This new emblem, to be qualified the emblem of state, consisted of Garuda, in Hindu symbolism the vehicle of Vishnu and, as the Siamese king considered himself to be an incarnation of Vishnu, the vehicle of the King of Siam. It illustrates the doctrine that the government actually is a tool of the ruler, in this case the King of Siam.

The garuda is of very ancient Mesopotamian origin and came to Siam by Hinduism. It is a bird-man having the body of a man and the wings, head and feet of a bird. Sculpures of a garuda can be found in Angkor Wat, the temple of the capital of the Khmer empire and are dating from the 13th century (again from the reign of Jayavarman VIII).

Usually the garuda is the vehicle of Vishnu, the god of maintenance and as such a symbol of the royal government. In Siam he was introduced at the end of the 19th century and after the reorganization of the government by king Rama V Chulalongkorm in 1892.

slonEmblem of Thailand (Siam), the three-headed elephant - in the lower right corner.

Airavata or Erawan is a mythical beast of Hindu origin. It is a huge elephant, which is shown with three, sometimes with 33 heads. The heads are often shown with more than two tusks. On some statues the Hindu god Indra is riding on Erawan.

Airavata/Erawan in Thailand and Laos is of Khmer origin. He was introduced by Jayavarman VIII (1243-1295) who was a a devotee of the Hindu deity Shiva. He occurs on some stone sculptures in Cambodia but in particular in Angkor Wat, the 12th century temple of the capital of the Khmer Empire. Usually he is carrying Lord Indra.

In the 19th century Erawan became the emblem of the North of Siam, consisting of the former Sukothai Territories annexed by Ayuthaya in 1438, and Luang Prabang, under Siamese rule from 1788 until 1868 but both once a part of the Khmer Empire.

In particular Erawan can be associated with the Mahatthai, the ministry dating from Ayuthaya times, and restored by Rama I. This Mahatthai controlled the northern parts of Siam.

At the beginning of the XIX century, under Rama III Chetssadabodin (1824-1851) Erawan became the charge of the arms of Siam, from 1873 accompanied by other emblems.

The Mahatthai was the predecessor of the present Ministry of the Interior, founded by King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) in his reforms of the Siamese government. The ministry was founded on the 1 April 1892, and his brother Prince Damrong Rajanubhab, was appointed its first “Minister of State”. At the time the Ministry was divided into three divisions: the Central Division the Northern Division and the Local Administration Division.

Revers:

1 Baht 1933

The King Rama VI chose the image of the royal ploughing ceremony to be the main figure of the new series of banknotes to reflect the Thai culture and believing that concern to the religion, monarch and agriculture.

Comments:

Black serial number.

This series of banknotes were designed by engraving the image on the metal plate which would made clearer and sharper lines on the banknote to deter the counterfieting.

"Thomas de la Rue" was assigned to print the 2nd series banknotes in six denominations; 1 Baht, 5 Baht, 10 Baht, 20 Baht, 100 Baht and 1000 Baht.