2 Rupees 1937, India
| in Krause book | Number: 17a |
| Years of issue: | 01.07.1937 |
| Edition: | |
| Signatures: | Governor: Sir James Braid Taylor (in office 1 July 1937 - 17 February 1943) |
| Serie: | 1937 Issue |
| Specimen of: | 01.07.1937 |
| Material: | Cotton fiber |
| Size (mm): | 115 х 64 |
| Printer: | Government of India Mint and the Security Printing Press, Nasik, India |
* 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:
HM The King George VI. Engraving is the same, as on obverse.
Avers:
On right side HM The King George VI.
George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George, 14 December 1895, York Cottage, Sandringham House, Norfolk, United Kingdom - 6 February 1952, Sandringham House, Norfolk) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death. He was the last Emperor of India and the first Head of the Commonwealth. Until 1947 the Emperor of India.
The traditional profile of the monarch for a picture on the banknotes and coins. Made with a photo shoots on the coronation of George VI, made in 1937.
On His Majesty is St Edward's Crown.
St Edward's Crown is one of the oldest of British Crown Jewels and is considered the principal piece of the Regalia, being the coronation crown traditionally used in the coronation of first English, then British, monarchs, including Queen Elizabeth II, who now reigns as the monarch of 16 independent Commonwealth realms. The crown takes its name from St Edward the Confessor, although the present crown is in fact a reconstruction made for the coronation of King Charles II in 1661, following the destruction of its medieval predecessor during the Interregnum by order of Oliver Cromwell. Two-dimensional representations of the crown are used in coats of arms, badges, and various other insignia throughout the Commonwealth realms to indicate the authority of the reigning sovereign, reflecting the executive governmental authority in and of each realm.
The present St Edward's Crown contains much of the crown made in 1661. It is constructed of solid gold. The design comprises a base, with four crosses pattée alternating with four fleurs-de-lis, above which rise four half-arches surmounted by a monde and cross, all set with 444 precious stones. Within this gold frame there is a velvet cap with an ermine border, which protrudes below the base. The stones were formerly hired for each coronation and then detached, leaving only the frame. However, in 1911 the jewels were set permanently. A number of changes were made for the coronations of King James II (a new monde) and King William III (the base being changed from its original circular form to a more natural oval one). The crown was also made slightly smaller to fit the head of King George V, the first monarch to be crowned with St. Edward's Crown in over two hundred years. The crown was, however, carried in procession at other coronations at which it was not actually worn.
Queen Victoria and King Edward VII chose not to be crowned with St Edward's Crown because of its weight of 4 lb 12 oz (2.2 kg) and instead used the lighter Imperial State Crown. St. Edward's Crown was placed on the coffin of Edward VII for his lying in state and funeral in 1910, and was used for the coronation of his crowned successors; Kings George V in 1911 and George VI in 1937 and at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. On 4 June 2013, it was displayed on the altar in Westminster Abbey at the sixtieth anniversary service of the Queen's coronation-the first time it had left the Tower of London since 1953.
Although always regarded as the "official" coronation crown, in fact, only a minority of monarchs have been crowned with the re-made St. Edward's Crown. These were Charles II (1661), James II (1685), William III (1689), George V (1911), George VI (1937) and Elizabeth II (1953). All other English and British monarchs were crowned with other crowns: Queens Mary II and Anne with small diamond crowns of their own; Kings George I, George II, George III, and William IV with George I's new state crown; King George IV with a large new diamond crown; and Queen Victoria and King Edward VII with Victoria's 1838 Imperial State Crown. Before 1649, many monarchs were crowned with the original St. Edward's Crown, though they often had several crowns placed on their head during the ceremony. 
Serial number in lower part, centered.
Denomination in numeral and words is centered, in numerals are in top corners. In words is in lower right corner.
Revers:
On left side are denominations in eight Indian languages - written in Urdu, Hindi, Bengali, Burmese, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Gujarati.
Lower, 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 numerals are in top corners, in words in lower corners and centered.
Comments:
The inscription, by pencil, on the note reads: "Madras, India, Dec.6 1944 '.
While Britain held in India large numbers of troops, despite the serious situation in Europe. Colony played a major role in the British economy, and the threat from Japan, and the German submarine fleet in the region actually existed.
In addition, more recently, namely in June 1944, ended in a military operation in Madras, part of the British Empire, against Hyderabad. In the conflict the key role played by the British armed forces.
The British controlled the Bay of Bengal by Eastern Fleet, which, a little later, attacked Japanese in today's Indonesia. British forces in India also participated in the liberation of Burma.
Of course, it will remain a mystery what exactly happened on 6 December 1944, for some person's life, who served in Madras, India. But the very awareness that to my collection got a small piece of someone's life, someone's story gives the banknote some mystery. Anyway, for me :).
Banknote signed by Sir James Braid Taylor.
Sir James Braid Taylor, KCIE (21 April 1891 - 17 February 1943) was the second Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, holding office from 1 July 1937 until his death on 17 February 1943. He succeeded Sir Osborne Smith who was the Governor from 1 April 1935 to 30 June 1937. He was appointed a CIE in the 1933 New Year Honours List, knighted in the 1935 Silver Jubilee and Birthday Honours List and further appointed a KCIE in the 1939 Birthday Honours List.
Taylor, a member of the Indian Civil Service, served as a Deputy Controller in the Currency Department of the Government of India for over a decade. He later became the Controller of Currency, and additionally secretary in the Finance Department. He then became the Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank and succeeded Smith as the Governor. He was closely associated with the preparation and piloting of the Reserve Bank of India Bill. He governed the bank during the war years and was involved in decision to move from a silver currency to fiat money. Even though he was the second Governor, his signature was the first to appear on the currency notes of the Indian rupee. His second term came to an end when he died in office on 17 February 1943. He was succeeded by Sir C. D. Deshmukh, who became the first Indian to lead the Reserve Bank of India.
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