Transparent Paper Money of George VI

Albert Frederick Arthur George, familiar as George VI was the last Emperor of India of the British Raj until August 1947. He was the king of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 1936 to 1952.

In the last half of the eighteenth century, paper money was introduced in India when private and semi-public banks began to introduce currency. But the Government of India got the exclusive right to print and circulate banknotes followed by the Paper Currency Act, 1861 and thereby abolishes the printing and circulation of banknotes by the private Presidency Banks. To respond to economic troubles after the First World War, the Reserve Bank of India was founded on 1 April 1935. It was set up based on the recommendations of the 1926 Royal Commission on Indian Currency and Finance. Royal Commission on Indian Currency and Finance was also known as the Hilton Young Commission. After that, the Government of India continued to print and issue banknotes. the Reserve Bank of India first issued 5 rupees notes containing the portrait of King George VI in January 1936. Then 10 rupees notes in February 1936 and 100 rupees notes in March 1936. 1000 rupees and 10000 rupees notes were introduced in June 1938. Paper money with a portrait of King George VI were also issued in 1948 and later until 1950.

But I found a watermark 5 rupee of King George VI. There has an article that, Watermark papers of currency notes were sent by Portals to India in S.S. Breda (Ship), the paper had two different Kings watermark for the 5 rupees and 10 rupees notes. But there has no concrete evidence for it. The Breda was a 5-hold cargo steamship. After the invasion of the Netherlands during WW2, it was sunk in Scotland on 23 December 1940 due to bombs dropped near it from a German Heinkel 111 bomber. SS Breda was a Dutch cargo-passenger ship.

The Tralee Bay Diving and Watersports Club in 1992 discovered the remains of currency paper in a long-hidden cargo hold, watermarked with the portrait of King George VI. This could suggest that the ship in question was involved in the transportation of currency or related materials during World War II.

It can be noted that, King George VI reigned from 1936 to 1952. Currency and banknotes bearing his portrait were indeed produced during this time. Portals is a British company that has been manufacturing banknote paper for the Bank of England since the 18th century. They have a long history of producing high-security, watermarked paper used for British currency.

Such a discovery would be significant due to the rarity of finding intact or partially preserved banknote paper underwater, especially considering the historic connection to the Bank of England and King George VI. It would also raise questions about how the currency ended up in the cargo hold of a ship that was eventually lost at sea.

While this story is compelling, there doesn't seem to be well-documented evidence or widely known reports of such a discovery in Tralee Bay. It may be a lesser-known or underreported event, or there could be some fictional or speculative elements involved. If this story is based on real events, it would be a noteworthy chapter in the history of underwater archaeology and financial history.