Auction 82 Highlights

Welcome to Smalls Auction 82.

We have included in this sale some rare and unique banknotes from Australia, New Zealand and the World.

A few Australian highlights include two infamous banknotes, the ‘Austilin Bank’ £1 and the ‘Bank of Van Diemen’s Land’ £20 each were involved in criminal cases that landed those involved life sentences for forgery offences. It seems apt that the settlements of Sydney and Hobart which were originally founded as penal colonies would see some of their citizenry returning to their criminal roots.

There are also some very rare Pre-decimal Star Replacement notes and a Kell - Collins £5 in PCGS 30 which we consider to be one of the finest known. This issue has a very heavily impressed brick-like watermark which can pick appear to be bends or folds to the unfamiliar eye and we believe that the note has been very harshly graded. Originality holds little stead with the banknote grading services it would appear.

The selection of Chinese Specimen notes from the 1980s and 90s are also worth a look as are the Turkish Specimen notes which are exceedingly rare. The notes which originally formed the archive collection of the State Ministry of Finance were secreted to Australia by an émigré after World War I. Collectors of Turkish banknotes of this era will be aware that the surviving circulation notes are basically rags and so it is only from this collection of lightly cancelled specimen notes can the full vibrant colour and the intricate calligraphy of the war-era Ottoman notes be revealed.

There is also one of the rarely seen ‘Gallipoli’ £1 which were intended to be used by the British and ANZAC troops after they took Istanbul. The 1915 Peninsula Campaign proved a disaster and all but a few of the notes were recalled. Another highlight is the extremely rare Great Britain Newland £1 dated 1805. This is a complete note and one of only a few extant.

As always, we hope you find something of interest in our Sale.

Smalls Auctions.