Obverse
2nd Issue. Paper – White, Handmade; moulded.
Dated 1935; Issued on 24th July 1940. GOVERNMENT OF INDIA above. Language panel on left and image of silver coin of King George V dated 1935 with obverse in front and reverse in rear. Re. 1 – the abbreviation of Rupee used for the first time in top right hand corner. ONE / RUPEE in Central Denomination Panel. Large ‘1’ beside language panel in white. No promise text. Signed by “Controller of the Currency”. This denomination is treated as a coin.
Reverse
Stylised GRI in centre. One serial number in lower right. Reverse of 1935 coin in top left.
Microlettering
‘GOVERNMENT OF INDIA’ in a pattern in the language panel and ‘onerupee’ in cursive writing around denomination rosette.
Language Panel
Type 1.
Watermark
Variety a – Randomly printed on a continuous watermark sheet of two five-pointed Stars with GOVT OF INDIA in border. Hence the stars are not constant and shift in every note.
Variety b – Profile portrait of George V to right, to be read from reverse.
Note
Notes of Type 3.2.1 A, printed at Nasik, were issued in booklets of 25 notes each. Some were stitched into a booklet whereas some booklets with prefix E and F were pinned together by a single staple. Accordingly, these notes are known with perforations on the left margin.
Notes with Prefix A, B, C, D, printed in England by three different printers and do not have any perforation and were never made into a booklet.
250 million notes of this type were first printed in England in 1935, and the issue aborted on death of King George V. They were issued in 1940 because of shortage of coins caused by World War II. This is the only case where a new issue was made after the death of the King.
Table
Type No. | Signature | Prefix | Remark | Fonts of Serial Number |
---|---|---|---|---|
3.2.1 A | J.W. Kelly | E, F | Typical font used for serial number. Printed at Nasik, Watermark Variety A. | |
3.2.1 B | J.W. Kelly | A, B | Prefix letter divides prefix code and serial number. Bold, horizontally wide font used for serial number. Printed in England by Bank of England. 01A to 99A, 01B to 28B. Watermark Variety B. |
|
3.2.1 C | J.W. Kelly | C | Thin vertically elongated Serif font used for serial numbers. Printed in England by Waterlow and Sons. 01C to 80C. Watermark Variety B. |
|
3.2.1 D | J.W. Kelly | D | Prefix letter below prefix code in serial number, comma after 3 digits. Printed in England by Bradbury Wilkinson. 01D to 43D. Watermark Variety B. |