Lot 202

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Description:

An extremely rare if not unique combination

    Exhibited:
  • 396
  • Literature:
  • Collectibles
  • Medium:
  • Coins, Monies & Stamps
  • Circa:
  • Paper Money, Australia & New Zealand
  • Notes:
  • The $10 forgery on offer is emblematic of the duality of the Australia that evolved from a penal colony because while the Australian population was being inundated with information about a new Decimal Currency to be introduced on the 14th February 1966 the criminal classes were also taking instruction on a rare opportunity to dupe their fellow citizens. The characteristics and security features of the new notes were being heavily publicised in advance to inform the public and so nothing could have been more galling for H.C. ‘Nugget’ Coombs, the Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia, than to see his signature appearing on passable counterfeits of the decimal banknotes that had only just been released. The seriousness of the situation was conveyed in a quickly organised circular that offered a $10,000 reward “for information leading to the apprehension and conviction of the persons responsible.” It listed examples of the serial numbers of spurious notes that had been picked up in circulation asking the public to memorise the Prefix “letters SA and SB followed by E,N,V or Z with a list of numbers that followed. The $10 note in our sale ‘SBE 178414’ appears prominently on the circular and is thought to be one of only two examples that were not retrieved by the Reserve Bank. The circular is also a rarity, listing in detail what to look out for when handling the new notes directing that “if you detect a counterfeit note inform the Police immediately.” It goes on to explain that “if you cannot see a distinct vertical metallic thread when the note is held to the light, the note is counterfeit. If there appears to be a metallic thread, check for other faults (such as) * Waxy smooth feel * Imitation watermark – on front only * Irregular edge on “Times Bakery” * Course vertical patterns of blue and white wavy line on back.” It is not often that a fake is worth far more than an original, but this rare example of the counterfeiters craft is one such example.
  • Condition:
  • 2mm edge tear at top. Traces of tape on reverse

Accepted Forms of Payment:

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November 27, 2022 12:00 PM AEDT
Sydney, Australia

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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