Red Underprint 5 Rupees Notes of India

Building on our previous exploration of the Green Underprint 5 Rupees Uniface Notes of India, we now turn our focus to the equally fascinating world of the Red Underprint 5 Rupees Uniface Notes. These notes hold a special place in Indian currency history as the first denomination to feature a red underprint. Additionally, they stand out as the only red underprint series to incorporate 6 language panels, and also the first denomination to incorporate 8 language panels. In this article, we explore these varieties in detail, highlighting their distinct characteristics, legislative evolution, and design intricacies.

The development and varieties of the Red Underprint 5 Rupees notes reveal a rich narrative of legislative and administrative evolution. This series is broadly categorized into four major varieties:

1. Red underprint with 6 language panels.

2. Red underprint with 8 language panels and 4 serial numbers.

3. Red underprint with 8 language panels and 3 serial numbers with circle initials.

4. Red underprint with 8 language panels and 3 serial numbers without circle initials.

While some catalogues, such as the Pick Standard Catalog of World Paper Money and The Banknote Book, consolidate the last two varieties under a single listing, we have separated them due to their distinct features. All varieties were printed by the Bank of England in London and prominently display the heading "Government of India" at the top center. Notably, the promissory text differs between the varieties, with the first variety showing distinct wording from the others. Moreover, design changes reflect ongoing adjustments. Measuring 176 x 108 mm, these notes were dispatched to India unsigned, allowing for later customization with signatures.

6 Language Panels

Change in Underprint Color

The introduction of the Red Underprint 5 Rupees Uniface Notes was a direct result of the Indian Paper Currency (Amendment) Act, 1903 (Act 6 of 1903), which amended Sections 16 and 17 of the Indian Paper Currency Act, 1882 (Act 20 of 1882). These amendments introduced significant changes in the legal tender status and payability of the 5 Rupees notes, creating a clear distinction based on their region of issuance.

Under the revised Section 16, a 5 Rupees note issued from any town not situated in Burma was declared legal tender throughout British India, except Burma. Conversely, notes exceeding 5 Rupees were restricted to being legal tender only within the circle of issue. Similarly, revised Section 17 specified that (1) a 5 Rupees note issued from a town not in Burma was payable at any office of issue not situated in Burma, (2) a 5 Rupees note issued in Burma was payable only at an office of issue within that town, and (3) notes exceeding 5 Rupees were payable only at the office of issue from which they originated, and, if issued outside Burma, also at the Presidency town of the corresponding Presidency.

As a result of these provisions, two distinct categories of 5 Rupees notes emerged:

1. Notes that were legal tender across British India, except Burma.

2. Notes that were legal tender only within Burma, typically issued from the Rangoon circle of issue.

To differentiate the newly issued 5 Rupees notes intended for use across British India (excluding Burma) from the earlier green underprint notes and those specific to Burma, the underprint color was changed from green to red. Meanwhile, 5 Rupees notes issued under the Rangoon circle of issue, which were legal tender only within Burma, continued to feature the green underprint. This strategic change in underprint color allowed for a visual distinction, enhancing clarity in the circulation and usage of these notes.

Promissory Text

Reflecting the legislative changes, the promissory text for the 5 Rupees red underprint notes reads:
“Promise to pay the Bearer on demand at any Office of Issue not situated in Burma.” This text emphasizes the legal and geographic limitations of these notes.

Language Panels

The first variety of red underprint notes retained the 6-language panel format introduced in the green underprint series. The standardized arrangement is as follows:

Top row: Urdu, Bengali, Telugu
Bottom row: Kaithi, Kannada, Tamil

The language panel is accompanied by numeral denomination panels on the left and right, featuring numerals in 7 styles, including the Western Arabic numeral "5" prominently at the top.

Serial Numbers

These notes feature four serial numbers arranged symmetrically across the note. Two are positioned at the top on opposite sides, while two are placed below the numeral panels, maintaining a balanced layout. The alphanumeric prefix comprises two letters positioned above numbers running from 1 to 100, with 5-digit serial numbers following the prefix.

Introduction of Circle Initials

The Indian Paper Currency Act, 1905 (Act 3 of 1905) introduced a notable design change in the 5 Rupees notes, simplifying the identification of issuing towns for 5 Rupees notes. Previously, under Section 9(3) of The Indian Paper Currency Act, 1882 (Act 20 of 1882), every currency note was required to display the full name of the town from which it was issued for all denominations.

With the enactment of Section 8(c) of the 1905 Act, which stipulated that “Every such note, other than a currency note of the denominational value of five rupees issued from any town not situated in Burma, shall bear upon it the name of the town from which it is issued,” 5 Rupees notes began using single-letter initials to represent the issuing circles.

The initials adopted were as follows: A for Allahabad (later transferred to Cawnpore), B for Bombay, C for Calcutta, K for Karachi, L for Lahore, and M for Madras

This shift to circle initials was a pivotal move toward standardizing Indian currency design, later extended to other denominations, while retaining the administrative importance of issuing circles.

Transfer of Office of Issue

The same Act also facilitated the transfer of the office of issue from Allahabad to Cawnpore. Section 29 stated that “For purpsoes of sections 14 and 15, a currency note issued from the office of issue in the town of Allahabad prior to the date of the closing of such office shall, notwithstanding anything herein before contained, be deemed, from the date of the establishment of an office of issue in the town of Cawnpore, to have been issued from such last-mentioned office.” This provision led to the introduction of Cawnpore as a new office of issue.

Known Signatures

Only two signatories are associated with this variety: Arthur Frederic Cox (A.F. Cox) and Oscar Theodore Barrow (O.T. Barrow)

Known Varieties

The Red Underprint 5 Rupees notes with six language panels are known to exist in four documented combinations of issuing circles and signatures, each featuring a single signatory:

B (Bombay): Signed by A.F. Cox and O.T. Barrow
C (Calcutta): Signed by A.F. Cox
L (Lahore): Signed by A.F. Cox

These varieties reflect the early steps toward the universalization of 5 Rupees notes across British India, excluding British Burma.

8 Language Panels and 4 Serial Numbers

The Red Underprint 5 Rupees Notes with 8 Language Panels and 4 Serial Numbers emerged as a significant development in Indian currency history following legislative reforms as a result of The Indian Paper Currency (Amendment) Act, 1909 (Act 2 of 1909) and the subsequent Indian Paper Currency Act, 1910 (Act 2 of 1910) marking a pivotal shift toward the universalization of certain denominations, including the 5 Rupees note.

The 1909 Act broadened the applicability of 5 Rupees notes, granting them universal acceptance across British India, including British Burma. Section 14 Paragraph 1 was amended to state, "A currency note of the denominational value of five rupees shall be a legal tender in any place in British India." Furthermore, Section 15(a) specified that these notes would be "payable at any office of issue," effectively removing the previous limitations that excluded British Burma from their circulation.

Building upon these changes, the 1910 Act introduced the concept of a "universal currency note." Section 2(a) of the Act defined this term to include notes of 5, 10, and 50 Rupee denominations, emphasizing their legal tender status across all of British India. Section 15 further reinforced this by stating, "A universal currency note shall be a legal tender at any place in British India," while Section 16(a) affirmed that such notes were "payable at any office of issue." These provisions collectively ensured that the 5 Rupees note could circulate freely throughout British India, transcending regional limitations and enhancing its utility in the colonial economy.

Promissory Text

The universal applicability of the notes across British India, as established by the provisions of the 1909 Act, led to a revision of the promissory text. Reflecting this expanded scope, the revised text reads: “Promise to pay the Bearer on demand at any Office of Issue the sum of Rupees.” This change underscores the inclusion of Burma, which was no longer excluded from the circulation of these notes.

Language Panels

The legislative evolution of universal currency also influenced the design and functionality of the Red Underprint 5 Rupees notes with 8 language panels. The addition of more language panels—expanding from six to eight—underscored the diversity of the subcontinent and catered to a wider audience.

The number of language panels increased to 8, arranged in two columns of four rows:

Left column (top to bottom): Urdu, Kaithi, Bengali, Burmese
Right column (top to bottom): Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Gujarati

The addition of Burmese and Gujarati highlights the growing inclusivity of the language panels. Numeral denomination panels now feature 9 numeral styles.

Serial Numbers

Four serial numbers are symmetrically arranged on the note, with two at the top and two below the numeral panels. The alphanumeric prefix and 5-digit serial numbers follow the same format as the 6-language panel variety.

Circle Initials

The Indian Paper Currency Act of 1910 (Act 2 of 1910) formally established seven districts as circles of issue, specifying them directly within the Act. Section 5(a) states: “The Governor General in Council may, by notification in the Gazette of India,- (a) establish districts, to be called circles of issue, seven of which circles shall include the towns of Calcutta, Madras, Bombay, Rangoon, Lahore, Cawnpore and Karachi, respectively.”

This marked a significant change, as three new districts — Lahore, Cawnpore and Karachi—were added directly into the Act, rather than being established later by notification.

For this variety of notes, the circle initials replaced the full names of the towns, streamlining the design while retaining clarity of the issuing circles. The initials for the seven circles are as follows: A for Cawnpore, B for Bombay, C for Calcutta, K for Karachi, L for Lahore, M for Madras, R for Rangoon.

On the notes, the initials are positioned symmetrically on the right of the left numeral panel and on the left of the right numeral panel. This placement ensured both functionality and visual balance in the overall design.

Known Signatures

There are four known signature varieties for this series: Oscar Theodore Barrow (O.T. Barrow), Robert Woodburn Gillen (R.W. Gillen), Henry Fraser Howard (H.F. Howard), and Moses Mordecai Simeon Gubbay (M.M.S. Gubbay).

These notes were printed in England and dispatched to India unsigned. Sea sunk notes or notes recovered from sea sinkings during transit remain unsigned.

Known Varieties

Excluding unsigned notes, at least 19 documented varieties of these notes exist, each bearing a single signature. For clarity, the known issuing circles are categorized below along with their corresponding signatures:

A (Cawnpore): 2 varieties signed by H.F. Howard and M.M.S. Gubbay
B (Bombay): 4 varieties signed by O.T. Barrow, R.W. Gillen, H.F. Howard, and M.M.S. Gubbay
C (Calcutta): 3 varieties signed by R.W. Gillen, H.F. Howard, and M.M.S. Gubbay
K (Karachi): 2 varieties signed by H.F. Howard and M.M.S. Gubbay
L (Lahore): 3 varieties signed by O.T. Barrow, R.W. Gillen, and M.M.S. Gubbay
M (Madras): 2 varieties signed by R.W. Gillen and M.M.S. Gubbay
R (Rangoon): 3 varieties signed by R.W. Gillen, H.F. Howard, and M.M.S. Gubbay

Unsigned notes recovered from sea sinkings are also known, bearing initials A and B, but lacking signatures.

3 Serial Numbers with Circle Initial

This variety introduces a key change: the number of serial numbers is reduced from four to three, with the bottom-right serial number eliminated. The design elements of this variety, including the header, promissory text, language panels, numeral panels, and circle of issue, remain consistent with the previous variety. However, the text "For the Government of India" is now positioned at the center bottom of the note.

Serial Numbers

This variety features three serial numbers arranged symmetrically across the note. Two serial numbers are located at the top on opposite sides, maintaining a balanced layout. The third serial number is placed at the bottom left corner, while the serial number previously positioned at the bottom right corner has been removed.

Each note includes an alphanumeric prefix with two letters positioned above numbers running from 1 to 100, followed by a 6-digit serial number. Between the prefix and the serial number, the word "No." has been added.

Circle Initials

All seven main circles of issue are represented in this variety, denoted by their initials: A (Cawnpore), B (Bombay), C (Calcutta), K (Karachi), L (Lahore), M (Madras), and R (Rangoon).

The initials are positioned to the right of the left numeral panel and to the left of the right numeral panel.

Signatures

With the removal of the bottom right serial number, the signature has been shifted further to the bottom right corner. Unlike earlier varieties where signatures were hand-signed, this variety features printed signatures.

One known signature is attributed to Moses Mordecai Simeon Gubbay (M.M.S. Gubbay).

Known Varieties

There are seven documented varieties in this series, each corresponding to one of the seven issuing circles, all signed by M.M.S. Gubbay.

3 Serial Numbers without Circle Initial

This variety is nearly identical to the previous one, except for the removal of the circle initials. This small yet significant change simplified the design by eliminating the initials that previously appeared to the right of the left numeral panel and the left of the right numeral panel.

Circle Initials

The removal of circle initials does not imply the universalization of these notes. It should not be confused with the classification of "universal currency notes," such as the 5 Rupees, 10 Rupees, and 50 Rupees denominations introduced in 1910 under Section 3 of the Indian Paper Currency Act, 1910 (Act 2 of 1910).

Signatures

This variety features three signature varieties: Moses Mordecai Simeon Gubbay (M.M.S. Gubbay), Arthur Cecil McWatters (A.C. McWatters), and Howard Denning (H. Denning)

Known Varieties

There are three varieties for this type, each distinguished by one of the three signatures.

Conclusion

Each variety of the Red Underprint 5 Rupees notes—be it the 6 language panel design, the 8 language panels with 4 serial numbers, or the later versions with reduced serial numbers and the removal of circle initials—reflects the changing priorities and challenges of the time. The introduction of circle initials, the increase in language inclusivity, and the universal applicability of the notes are not just design elements; they tell a story of a currency system evolving to serve a diverse and growing colonial economy. These notes, meticulously crafted by the Bank of England and dispatched unsigned, are invaluable artifacts that connect collectors and historians to the economic and cultural context of their era.

If you possess a variety not mentioned here, we warmly invite you to share photos or consider offering it for sale. Even known varieties with distinct features are of keen interest to us as we continue to document and expand our collection. Join us in celebrating the enduring legacy of India’s numismatic history by becoming a part of this ongoing exploration. Together, we can uncover more stories hidden within the intricate designs and histories of these extraordinary banknotes.