20 Rupees 1979, Sri Lanka
| in Krause book | Number: 86 |
| Years of issue: | 26.03.1979 |
| Edition: | 25 000 000 |
| Signatures: | Minister of Finance: Mr. Ronald Joseph Godfrey de Mel, Governor: Mr. Warnasena Rasaputram |
| Serie: | 1979 Issue |
| Specimen of: | 26.03.1979 |
| Material: | 100% raw cotton |
| Size (mm): | 137 х 69 |
| Printer: | De la Rue Lanka Currency and Securities Print (Pvt) Ltd, Malawana |
* 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 Sri Lanka Lion (Panthera leo sinhaleyus), also known as the Ceylon Lion, was a prehistoric subspecies of lion, endemic to Sri Lanka. It appears to have become extinct prior to the arrival of culturally modern humans, c. 37,000 years BC.
This lion is only known from two teeth found in deposits at Kuruwita. Based on these teeth, P. Deraniyagala erected this subspecies in 1939. However, there is insufficient information to determine how it might differ from other subspecies of lion. Deraniyagala did not explain explicitly how he diagnosed the holotype of this subspecies as belonging to a lion, though he justified its allocation to a distinct subspecies of lion by its being "narrower and more elongate" than those of recent lions in the British Natural History Museum collection.
Avers:
Centered is The Sri Lanka wood pigeon (Columba torringtoniae). It is a pigeon which is an endemic resident breeding bird in the mountains of Sri Lanka.
This species nests in damp evergeen woodlands in the central highlands, building a stick nest in a tree and laying a single white egg. Its flight is quick, with the regular beats and an occasional sharp flick of the wings which are characteristic of pigeons in general. Most of its food is vegetable. Normally silent it utters an owl-like hoo call in the breeding season.
The Sri Lanka wood pigeon is 36 cm in length. Its upperparts and tail are dark grey, and the head and underparts are lilac, becoming paler on the belly. There is a black-and-white chessboard pattern on the nape.
This pigeon can be quite easily seen in the woods of the Horton Plains National Park.
The pigeon sitting on Syzygium rotundifolium.
Syzygium rotundifolium is a species of plant in the Myrtaceae family. It is endemic to Sri Lanka.
On the right side is the purple-faced langur (Trachypithecus vetulus, Pithecus vetulus monticola), also known as the purple-faced leaf monkey, is a species of Old World monkey that is endemic to Sri Lanka. The animal is a long-tailed arboreal species, identified by a mostly brown appearance, dark face (with paler lower face) and a very shy nature. The species was once highly prevalent, found in suburban Colombo and the "wet zone" villages (areas with high temperatures and high humidity throughout the year, whilst rain deluges occur during the monsoon seasons), but rapid urbanization has led to a significant decrease in the population level of the monkeys.
Vertically, along the left edge, are the inscriptions in Sinhala, Tamil and English languages "Central Bank of Ceylon". Centered, over the field of banknote watermark, indicated the serial number. Underneath is the denomination in words in Sinhala language - "Twenty rupees". Below the watermark is the date of issue of the banknote - 26.03.1979.
Denominations in numerals are in all corners, in numeral and in words top left.
Revers:
Sri Lanka blue magpie or Ceylon magpie (Urocissa ornata) is a member of the crow family living in the hill forests of Sri Lanka, where it is endemic.
This is a species of a dense wet evergreen temperate rain forest. It is declining due to loss of this habitat. Sri Lanka Blue Magpie is usually found in small groups of up to six or seven birds. It is largely carnivorous, eating small frogs, lizards, insects and other invertebrates, but will eat fruit.
Cyathea sinuata is unique among the tree ferns in that it has entire leaves, not pinnate or lobed. It is native to Sri Lanka but rare, being only known from one local forest area. It is one of the smallest species of tree ferns, growing only about one meter (3.3 feet) tall, with fronds 60 to 90 centimeters (15 to 23 inches) long.
The rhino-horned lizard (Ceratophora stoddartii) is a species of lizard in the Agamidae family. It is endemic to Sri Lanka. Widepread from montane forests of central Sri Lanka. Localities incude Nuwara Eliya, Hakgala, Pattipola, Ohiya, Horton Plains, Hewaheta, Dimbula, Agarapathana and Adam's Peak.
Common Rough-sided Snake, (Aspidura trachyprocta), known as දලව මැඩිල්ලා (dalawa medilla) in Sinhala, is a colubrid species endemic to Sri Lanka. A commonly encountered small burrowing snake from midhills to montane limits of central Sri Lanka. Localities recorded are Gammaduwa, Monaragala, Labukele, Nuwara Eliya, Harasbedda, Eskdale, Central Kandy, Pundaluoya, Longton Estate, Diyagama Estate, Nanu Oya, Sita Eliya, Ambewela, Pattipola, Hakgala, Horton Plains National Park, Namunukula, Kandy, Radella, Ramboda, and Diyatalawa at elevations of 750-2100 m.
In the upper left corner is the face value by numeral "20", the right of which is the inscription in Sinhala, Tamil and English, "Central Bank of Ceylon". At the bottom of the banknote, under skink, is an inscription - "Twenty Rupees" in Sinhala, Tamil and English.
Comments:
Was valid until 1998. Solid security thread.
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