Australian Banknotes, Jewelry & Collectables

May 15, 2022 12:00 PM AEST
Timed Auction

175 Lots

  1. ‹
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. ›

Smalls Auctions

Location: Paddington, Sydney, Australia

Phone: +61 (0)2 9357 5492

Payment

  • |
  • Accepts online payments
Accepted Forms of Payment: American Express, COD (cash on delivery), MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Other, Paypal, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

AUSTRALIA :

Purchases within Australia will be charged a MINIMUM SHIPPING FEE of $10.00 and will be sent by Registered Post.

Additional insurance is optional at the buyer's expense.

Larger lots may incur an additional charge.

OVERSEAS :

Overseas purchases will be charged a MINIMUM SHIPPING FEE of $35.00 and will be sent by standard International Post.

Additional insurance is optional at the buyer's expense

Larger lots may incur an additional charge.

If we are unsure of the bona fides of a successful bidder we may request identification such as a Passport Photo or Drivers's Licence that matches the Credit Card details registered with Invaluable before we despatch an item.

Both Australian and International packages are traceable in transit and may require a signature on delivery.

Welcome to Smalls Auctions Sale 170. We have included in this Sale a variety of collectables ranging from Jewellery, World & Australian Commemorative Medals, Australian Trade Tokens and Banknotes from early Colonial issues to the modern polymer issues used today. At the end of the Sale there are also three bundles of uncirculated Solomon Islands banknotes. You might want to grab these before they are replaced by the Chinese Yuan. Two Australian Banknotes worth special mention are the 1832 ‘Bank of Van Diemen's Land' £20 and 1837 'Austilin Bank' £1. The first is actually an altered £1 which was passed off as a £20 and has survived only because it was part of court evidence in a fraud case. The second note was also central to a court case which saw the recidivist centenarian Thomas Wright convicted of passing spurious banknotes of no value. It is the only surviving banknote of the notorious ‘Austilin Bank’ and is an intriguing reminder of Australia’s criminal roots. We encourage you to read the research notes that accompany this lot as they make fascinating reading. The history of a nation is well told by its currency which reflects the politics and commerce of the society it supports and so any assault on its integrity brings forth the wrath of the law. In Australia’s early years banknotes were issued by Private Banks usually formed by a syndicate of enterprising businessmen and whose notes were only redeemable for coin at its bank branches. Because of the parochial nature of this exchange these were gradually replaced by national notes when the six founding British colonies that occupied the Australian continent federated in 1901 to form the ‘Commonwealth of Australia.’ In 1966 Australia introduced Decimal Currency and on its new banknotes they featured for the first time prominent past Australians instead of the reigning monarch although as a bit of forelock-tugging it did retain the ‘Queen of Australia’ on its smallest denomination. In 1972, as a mark of our independence in the World, the incoming Labor Government dispensed with the arcane “Commonwealth of Australia’ title on our banknotes and replaced it with the bolder ‘Australia.’ It was a prescient move as in 1973 Great Britain largely abandoned its preferential trade ties to the Commonwealth when it joined the European Union. And, in 1988 Australia became one of the first nations to experiment with plastic banknotes with the introduction of the polymer Bicentennial $10 issue featuring a striking portrait of a first Australian. We have included in this Sale a rare example of this note hand signed by the signatories. Banknotes certainly capture moments in time, and we hope you find something in our Sale that reminds you of your golden age. Smalls Auctions
Buyer's Premium
$0-99: 20.0%
$100-499: 20.0%
$500-999: 20.0%
$1,000-4,999: 20.0%
$5,000+: 20.0%
Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
A$0 A$249 A$5
A$250 A$999 A$10
A$1,000 A$4,999 A$25
A$5,000 A$9,999 A$50
A$10,000 + A$100

Conditions of Sale

VAT and taxes: The Buyer's Premium is inclusive of the Australian G(oods) & S(ervices T(ax) incurred by our service.

Shipping Terms: AUSTRALIA :

Purchases within Australia will be charged a MINIMUM SHIPPING FEE of $10.00 and will be sent by Registered Post.

Additional insurance is optional at the buyer's expense.

Larger lots may incur an additional charge.

OVERSEAS :

Overseas purchases will be charged a MINIMUM SHIPPING FEE of $35.00 and will be sent by standard International Post.

Additional insurance is optional at the buyer's expense

Larger lots may incur an additional charge.

If we are unsure of the bona fides of a successful bidder we may request identification such as a Passport Photo or Drivers's Licence that matches the Credit Card details registered with Invaluable before we despatch an item.

Both Australian and International packages are traceable in transit and may require a signature on delivery.

Buyers Premium: All purchases are subject to an all inclusive 20.0 % Buyer's Premium on the hammer price.

Tax Details: Taxes, Duties and Customs Charges that apply in the country of delivery are the express responsibility of the buyer.

Please notify us if you require a specific description on the outside of the package for customs purposes.