50 Rupees

Oriental Bank, Bombay, 50 Rupees, serial No. 423, dated Bombay 10 November 1845. The bank was founded in Bombay as the Bank of Western India in 1842, renamed the Oriental Bank in 1845, and reconstituted as the Oriental Bank Corporation (head office moved to London) in 1851. Obverse: engraved vignette of the Town Hall of Bombay (with the Customs House, St Andrew's Church and the palm tree of Bombay Castle behind); "Promise to pay the Bearer on demand at the Bank's Office here (and not elsewhere) Fifty Rupees, Value received", "Bombay 10 November 1845", entered and countersigned in manuscript, "By Order of the Board", with FIFTY RUPEES in a foliate cartouche and denomination underprints in the corners. Reverse: "ORIENTAL / 50 RUPEES / BANK" with a manuscript countersignature. Printer's imprint of Batho & Bingley, Lombard Street, London. A signed, dated example of this early Presidency-era private-bank note (sibling to the 500 Rupees, J&R 1B.3.1.4). References: J&R 1B.3.1.2; Pick (SCWPM) S-series for the Oriental Bank, Bombay issues (cf. 1000 Rupees = Pick S193). Very rare. Provenance: British Museum, reg. no. CIB.13983, donated by the ifs School of Finance, 2009. Dimensions 213 × 123 mm. British Museum object C_CIB-13983.