This note was an issue of Hyderabad princely state. These notes were well known as Osmania notes in the name of His Highness Mir Osman Ali Khan – the Nizam of Hyderabad.

The princely state of Hyderabad was known as ‘the Dominion of His Exalted Highness, The Nizam’. The princely state was created by Mir Kamruddin Ali Khan. During that period the British Government had the right of coining metallic currency in 34 princely States and Hyderabad was one amongst them.

The economic situation became difficult and serious during World War I due to the shortage of silver metal. This made it unable to meet the money demand of the state market. In 1917 under forced circumstance, the government gave permission to the state of Hyderabad to issue paper money.

This Osmania note was issued in 1919 which depicts currency note Sarkar-e-Ali in Urdu meaning Government Currency note in the top centre. The serial number is at top and denomination in words set in a clockwise manner in Marathi, Telugu, English and Kannada languages and ‘Paanch Rupye’ in Urdu in the lower corner. Central denomination panel reads in words “Paanch Rupye Sicca Osmania”. The denomination is in numerical on both sides in panel’s format with Siyaq, Telugu, Marathi, Kannada and English languages.

The reverse features a five Hyderabad rupee coin of AH 1337 with numerical five in the centre. The micro-lettering ‘The Government of His Exalted Highness the Nizam of Hyderabad’ is a central denomination pattern which is in a straight line in obverse and it is in an inter-twined circular pattern in reverse.

These notes were also recovered from the shipwreck of S.S. Egypt which was carrying a consignment of Hyderabad note of 5, 10 and 100 rupees from England to India. It sank in French coast. This notes the first issue was printed by the Printed at Waterlow & Sons Ltd in London on un-watermarked paper.

In 1948 Hyderabad was annexed into the Indian Union after the Hyderabad policy action – a Military operation by Indian Government which ended the reign of Nizam. Today, Hyderabad - the dominion of Nizam is part of Telangana, Maharashtra and Karnataka states.