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| Portuguese Indian rupia |
Currency of Portuguese India 1 Rupia banknote 1.1.1924
Banco Nacional Ultramarino - Nova Goa, Pick 23a
Main vignettes of the 1 Rupia note are of a roaring Bengal tiger on the face and the Hindu Jagannath Temple in the coastal town of Puri in the state of Odisha on the back.
Printer: Thomas De La Rue & Company Limited, London England.
Signatures: Jhunjhunwalla-Razack.
Thomas de la Rue of London printed the notes on unwatermarked paper. The text underneath the bank name, EM / NOVA GOA, translates as "Overseas National Bank in New Goa." Once a small village, Nova Goa is now a city known as Panaji and is the capital of the Indian state of Goa.
The colorful and beautifully designed notes being offered vary in size based upon denomination and some of the engravings are repeated. The blue and gold 1 Rupia and blue and purple 2 1/2 Rupias notes feature an engraving of the Jagannath Temple in Puri on the back, an important site for Hindus who worship Lord Jugannath (Lord Krishna), known as Lord of the Universe. The main entrance to the temple is known as The Lion Gate, which explains the design at center on the faces of those two denominations that includes the face of a roaring lion framed on either side by a column.
Portuguese India banknotes
01.01.1924 Issue
1 Rupia 2 1/2 Rupias 5 Rupias 10 Rupias
20 Rupias 50 Rupias 100 Rupias 500 Rupias
3rd Issue by Bank Nacional Ultramarino - 1924:
By a Decree No.8384 of 25th September 1922, brought in a fresh issue of notes of a new design dated ‘Lisboa, 1st January 1924’. The 4 Tangas and 8 Tangas notes were discontinued. This issue has notes of the following denominations – 1, 2½, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 & 500 Rupias. These were printed now by Thomas de la Rue & Co. Ltd., Gravadores, London. The 1 Rupia and 2½ Rupias have tiger at centre, value at left and right, coat of arms at centre, steamship low left, with temple on the reverse. The 5, 10 & 20 Rupias have temple at centre, steamship low left, value at left and right and at each corner, coat of arms low centre, with tiger at centre on the reverse. The 50 and specimen of 100 & 500 Rupias have elephant at centre, steamship low left, column left and right, coat of arms low centre, value at left and right and each corner, with ship at centre on the reverse. All these were signed by the Governor and Vice-Governor. The flag or counterfoil of the 1st and 2nd Issue was discontinued from the 3rd Issue.