Sri Lanka was known as Ceylon until 1972. The first meter was installed in 1927 while the country was under British rule. The stamps are grouped by inscription:
Small upright frank with straight, double-line outer border with country name in top panel.
“POSTAGE” in left and “REVENUE’ in right panels.
Denomination, spelled out in bottom panel.
Value figures at top left of center panel with “CTS” at right.
M# within oval and box below value figures.
M#s 1 to 20 and 62 without prefix.
A. TM straight line within 6 wavy lines [Very scarce]
B. TM: DC or nil
Values: 1, 3, 5, 9, 12, 20
Values: 10, 14 [Rare]
Value: 6 [Very rare]
a. TM inverted (M# 19)
A2. Universal Postal Frankers “Midget” (FV-3/-5), 1932. [Very scarce]
Nearly identical to Type A1B but spacing between TM and frank is wider.
M#s from 41 to 46 without prefix.
TM: DC
Values: 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 10
A3. Neopost (LV-3), 1929. [$100]
Similar to Types A1 and 2, but the meter number is above the value figure which is boxed at bottom center below “CENTS”.
Bottom frame lines unbroken.
M#s N21 and N22 only.
TM: BIC
Values: 1, 2, 5
A4. Neopost (LV-6), 1930.
Very similar to Type A3, but with small ornament added between the top panel and the box containing the meter number.
The bottom frame lines often contains two breaks below the value figures but not always.
TM: BIC, SC, DC
A. M# with “N” prefix
B. M# with “No” prefix
C. M# without prefix
Values: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 15, 20, 25
Value: 21 [Very scarce]
a. TM: DC
b. Misspelling “REVENUS” (N35) [Rare]
NOTE: Meter N27 with top panel blank (“CEYLON” removed) and no town mark was used by British military forces in East Africa ca. 1943. This stamp is catalogued as Great Britain Type MM1.
A5. Universal Postal Frankers “Multi-Value” (MV), 1934. [Rare]
Similar to Types A1 and 2 but larger.
With “CENTS” in bottom panel. M# 51 only.
TM: lowered semi-circle with 4-digit S# above
V/F: 000
A6. Universal Postal Frankers “Multi-Value” (MV), 1939.
As Type A5 but with “RS : CTS” in bottom panel.
“CTS” with or without stop.
A. TM: DC lowered with 4-digit S# above
B. TM: Lowered semi-circle with 4-digit S# above [Scarce]
C. TM: DC partly lowered with 5-digit S# above [Scarce]
D. TM: DC not lowered, without S#
E. TM: DC lowered, without S#
F/V: 0000 (O) , 000 (A,O)
a. As D, date figures small [Scarce]
b. As E, M# in rectangle but without oval (M# 263)
A7. Universal Postal Frankers “Automax” (MV).
Similar to type A6D, but frank is smaller.
Value figures are of uniform thickness.
TM: DC
V/F: =0.oo
A8. Francotyp “Cc” (MV). [Scarce]
Frank as Types A6 and 7 but spacing between TM and frank is very narrow.
M# with “F” prefix.
TM: DC
V/F: 0.00 0.00
A9. Universal Postal Frankers “Multi-Value” (MV), 1950.
Post Office stamp.
Horizontal frank with double-line border, broken at top left for 4-digit S# and at bottom left for date.
“CEYLON / POSTAGE | REVENUE” at left above boxed M#.
Town name across bottom
V/F: 000
A10. Universal Postal Frankers “Simplex” (LV-25), 1953. [Very scarce]
Frank with simulated perforation border.
M# with “S” prefix in boxes in lower corners.
“CENTS” both above and below value figure.
TM: DC
Values: 1 to 25
A11. Postalia (MV), 1963. [Scarce]
Upright frank with double, straight-line outer frame.
M# with “P” prefix is between the frame lines at bottom.
Without inner panels. “CENTS” above bottom frame lines.
TM: DC
V/F: 000 00.00
A12. Postalia (MV).
Frank as Type A11 but with “RS : CTS” replacing “CENTS”.
Spacing between TM and frank narrow.
TM: DC
V/F: 00.00
A13. Neopost “205” (MV).
Small, square frank with double, straight-line border.
Panels at top, bottom and sides.
Tiny “Rts. Cts” above M# with “RN” prefix in bottom panel.
TM: BIC
V/F: 0.00
A14. Neopost “Frankmaster” / “305” (MV). [Scarce]
As Type A11 but larger, and taller than wide.
M# with “EN” prefix.
TM: DC
V/F: 00•00
A15. Pitney Bowes “Automax” (MV), 1964.
Large horizontal frank open at the sides.
M# with “P.B.” prefix in boxed oval at lower left.
TM: DC
V/F: =0.oo =00.oo
A16. Francotyp “Cc” (MV). [Scarce]
Upright frank with single straight-line frame.
“CEYLON” stacked along right side.
Tamil lion in lower left corner.
“RS. CTS” very small at bottom center.
M# with “F” prefix in oval below value figures.
TM: DC
V/F: 0.00 00.00
GROUP B: Inscribed in Sinhala only, without English
