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Gift Fit For A King:

First Ever Malaysian Banknotes Come Up For Auction

On the 8th of October 2007 Spink’s World Banknotes Auction will feature many great rarities including a collection of the first ever Malaysian banknotes.  The banknotes were a gift presented by Ismail Mohd Ali, on behalf of the Board of Governors of Bank Negara Malaysia, to the (fourth) King of Malaysia, Tuanku Ismail Nasiruddin Shah. The lot is expected to fetch between £25,000-£30,000.

The notes are preserved in a blue leather presentation album with the title Bank Negara Malaysia and arms in gold on the front cover.  The folder contains the following: 1 ringgit, blue and multicoloured, 5 ringgit, green and multicoloured, 10 ringgit, blue and multicoloured, 50 ringgit, blue and multicoloured and 100 ringgit, purple and multicoloured, all ND (1967), serial number A/1 000001, all with portrait of Yang Di- Pertuan Agong, TuAnku Abdul Rahman, first King of Malaysia, at right, all are signed by Ismail Mohd Ali, value at centre and at each corner, all notes are mounted in card with gold border (Tan M 27, 28, 29, 30, 31).  There is also a second presentation album containing 1000 ringgit, ND (1968), serial number A/1 000001, purple and multicoloured, portrait of Yang Di- Pertuan Agong, TuAnku Abdul Rahman, first king of Malaysia at right, signed by Ismail Mohd- Ali, value at centre and each corner, mounted in card with gold trim (Tan M 32).

Other highlights of the World Banknote Sale:

Abraham Birnbaum Collection of Palestine

Palestine, Currency Board, £50, 30 September 1929, red serial number A015949, purple and pale green, the White Tower at Ramleh at left, value at centre in pale brown guilloche, value at each corner, three printed signatures low centre of Sir John Caulcutt, Sir Percy Ezechiel and Roland Venables Vernon, the members of the Palestine Currency Board, reverse purple and green, the Citadel of Jerusalem with the Tower of David at centre, value at left and right and low centre

(P 10b, Raphael Dabbah p.155), this is the Dabbah plate note, a splendid example, an original good very fine, the paper still retaining good body and crispness, probably the finest example extant of this excessively rare denomination, most attractive and an important cornerstone note for this popular series. 

Estimate £20,000-25,000

A superb group of early Irish currency from the legendary Collection of W.L.S. Barrett of Montreal

Ireland, Cork Bank, Roche and Roche, proof 3 guineas on card, 18-, black and white, maiden (Abundance) top left with arms below, ship in background, value low left, for Roche and Roche,

good very fine, attractive and rare 

Collection of W.L.S. Barrett of Montreal

Estimate £500-600

From The Peter Coakes Collection of Bermuda

Bermuda, Government issue, £5, 1 August 1941, serial number A000002, brown, orange and pale blue-green, George VI at right, view of Hamilton at left, Trimingham and Young signatures (P12), almost uncirculated and a classic variety in the Commonwealth series. A wonderful note 

Estimate £6,500-7,500

Siberia, Ussuri boards, parchment or skin money for 50 kopecks, ND (c.1815), manuscript serial number 78, black text on circular format yellow card, the initials G.T.G. at centre with Russian text around DUE DATE to 1st JANUARY 1816, reverse blue, 50 at centre.

Believed to be a forerunner of the Russian- American parchment or 'sealskin' notes and is believed to be unique and completely unknown to the State Hermitage Museum and in particular its scholars department head Dr. Spassky and Nina Ivochkina when it was brought to their attention during the 1970s. (see Denisov for extensive description and illustration of this interesting note, Page 49), very fine, believed to be the only example recorded in a private collection in the West, possibly unique and an important find 

Provenance:

Kreisberg auction, USA, 1987

Estimate £10,000-12,000

From the David Bossert Collection of British Commonwealth

Barbados, Government issue, specimen $100, 1 January 1949, serial number E/A 002001- E/A 004000, brown lilac, George VI at right, King in biga of hippocamps at left, value at left and right, two printed signatures low centre (P.6), ink date 3/4/50, perforated SPECIMEN, about uncirculated, very rare 

Estimate £3,000-3,200

Scotland, City of Glasgow Bank, £1, 11 November 1869, serial number D 682/470, black and white, value in blue underprint at centre, value in blue top left and right, arms at left and right, portrait of Queen Victoria top centre, two manuscript signatures below

(Douglas 6), an attractive example, fresh good very fine and rare 

Estimate £1,500-2,000

About Spink

Spink is the world’s leading auctioneer of coins, stamps, medals and banknotes.  Since its foundation in 1666, the Spink name has become synonymous with tradition, experience and integrity. Holders of three royal warrants and numerous records for prices achieved at auction, Spink offer an unparalleled range of services to collectors worldwide.  Spink is headquartered in London and hold over 35 auctions a year around the globe.  In June 2006 Spink shattered the world record for a British Coin sold at auction with the sale of the Double Leopard Gold Coin for a staggering £460,000.

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