2006 - Buddha Jayanthi 2550 B.E.
SRI LANKA - 2000 Rupee

At the request of the Ministry of Buddha Sasana, a commemorative Rs 2000/- Gold embossed, sterling silver crown size frosted Proof NCLT; together with another plain Silver Rs 1500/- coin of similer design was issued by Central Bank of Sri Lanka together with a Brass plated steel Rs5 circulation coin, to mark the 2550 Buddha Jayanthi year.

SPECIFICATIONS
DenominationRupee 2000/-
AlloySilver (0.925Ag) + gold
Diameter38.61 mm
Thickness3.0? mm
Weight28.28 gms
ShapeRound
EdgeMilled
DieAxis
Issue10,000
MintRoyal,Llantrisant
2006_bj2550_r2000_obverse 2006_bj2550_r2000_reverse
KM# 172
  2006_bj2550_r1500_obverse 2006_bj2550_r1500_reverse

Obverse : Birth of Bodhisatva where according to the Mahayana traditional belief, Siddhartha after his birth in Lumbini, took seven steps under which seven lotus blossoms have bloomed while announcing the forthcoming Enlightenment within a plain circle. Siddhartha is selective Gold Gilt. The anniversary බුදධ ජයනති in Sinhala on top புத்த ஜயந்தி in Thamil on upper left and BUDDHA JAYANTHI on upper right, and 2550 at bottom, within annulus with a circle of petals along periphery of raised rim.
Reverse : A lake with lotus below a 24 prong Dharma Chakra (wheel of doctrine) found on the stone pillar built by the Emperor Ashoka at Saranath in Varanasi, where Buddha preached his first sermon. The issue year 2006 above. Below the large numeral denomination 2000 with රුපියල් in Sinhala at bottom, ரூபாய் in Thamil to left and RUPEES to right. The country name ශ්‍රී ලංකා in Sinhala, centered on top, இலங்கை in Thamil on upper left and SRI LANKA on upper right, with lotus flowers on either side, within annulus with raised rim.

In the Buddha Dharma worldly nature is resembled to a lake of lotus blossoms. Just as there exist in a lake young buds, mature buds and buds about to bloom, in the world of human too there exists men of diverse levels of attainment of conciousness. Disciples like lotus in the lake, bloom by the radiance of the Dharma represented by the Chakra.

Buddhism, as a religion with some mythological beliefs and worship adopted by a majority in Sri Lanka, is represented on the obverse.
Buddhism, as a philosophy, a pure Dharma practised through meditation and being adopted by a growing international community, is represented in abstraction on the reverse.
Like the Ying and the Yang on two sides of the same coin.
The coins were designed by Kelum Gunasekara of Kelaniya.

Dhanesh Wismperuma has pointed out that the flowers of the Sal tree ( Shorea Robusta ) which is native to Indian Subcontinent, has five pointed petals unlike the flower drawn on the coin which has rounded petals.
See also Real Sal blooms

 

In Lanka, Thailand and other Buddhist countries the Cannonball Tree ( Couroupita guianensis ), which is only native to tropical northern South America and to the southern Caribbean, has been mistakenly adopted as the Sala tree, probably in the early 20th century.
The flower of this tree has six rounded petals.
When I was a kid I was told of the Buddhist significance of a center which looks like a dagoba shaded by a cobra's hood and surrounded by tiny florets which are thought to represent a crowd of worshippers.

The frosted proof coin has been struck with one ounce of sterling silver to the British crown coin size. Enclosed in a circular coin capsule it is embedded in crimson velvet inside a crimson velvet covered 7.5cm square spring hinged Royal Mint presentation box. The Emblem of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka printed in gold on the white satin of the inside cover. A locally printed and numbered Certificate of Authenticity contains the specifications and the text in Sinhala, Tamil and English.

A few from first 40 were distributed at 2550 Buddha Jayanthi inauguration held at the Presidential Secretariat at 4 PM on Thursday 2006 May 11th. It was sold to public from 2006 May 15th for the issue price was Rs 7000/- (US $69).

Read my article, an edited version of which was published as Coins of tribute in the Sunday Times of 2006 May 21st.

The coin was obtained from CBSL on 2006 May 15th scanned at 600 dpi and the images are displayed at 254 dpi. Also displayed above are scans of Artwork sent to Royal Mint.