The E-Sylum:  Volume 11, Number 17, April 27, 2008, Article 14

AUSTRALIAN ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS MILITARY NUMISMATICS

[The Brisbane Times published an article April 23 about
interest in military numismatics. -Editor]

Interest in our military history is booming and this is
reflected in the gentle art of numismatics, where some
collectors are now specialising in the banknotes and other
forms of paper currency produced in times of war. The
fascination is obvious. What stories these pieces of paper
have to tell.

Among the most desirable are the British banknotes that
were overprinted in Arabic script especially for use by
colonial forces during the Gallipoli campaign. Also of
interest are the Japanese notes, some with ironic scenes
of tropical beaches, used by invasion forces in the latter
period of World War II. And rarest of all are the limited
series of notes (soon confiscated by the Australian Government)
produced for use by prisoners at an Australian internment
camp. Some of these are virtual museum pieces and the prices
fetched at auction are fast increasing. A single note from
the internment camp at Hay can be worth more than $5000. At
least one "specimen" note (a test printing) is known to exist
and is worth about $20,000.

Included in this niche area are "chits", the small tickets
resembling those used at cinemas, designed to be exchanged
for goods and services at army canteens and the like. These
are also increasing in value, up to $500 each in the case
of the ones used by the 4th Australian Light Anti-Aircraft
Regiment in Palestine. Another one in demand is the 20 cent
chit used by the Australian Surgical Team in Vietnam. These
can fetch about $300 each at auction.

To read the complete article, see:
Full Story

  Wayne Homren, Editor

	coinbooks.org Web

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