AUSTRALIA'S FIRST BANKNOTE MAY COME TO AUCTION

It's the first banknote struck by the nation of Australia, and an important landmark in the country's history, but a 10-shilling note dating from 1913 looks set to fall into foreign hands because no local buyer can be found.

The mint banknote, which last sold for $1.9 million in 2008, has been on the market for almost a year. It was originally valued at $3.5 million by Melbourne broker Coinworks, which is selling it on behalf of administrators McGrathNicol.

The sale period ends on Wednesday and, with no bids, spokesman Anthony Black said offers of $1 million ''would be seriously considered if it helped stop the banknote from being sold overseas''.

If the note is not sold, it will go to London auction house Spink and Son, which specialises in coins and banknotes. ''Once it's there, we are pretty confident the buyer will be from Britain and not Australia,'' Mr Black said.

Negotiations with the National Library of Australia, which had shown interest in the banknote, broke down in February. Billionaires Kerry Stokes, Gina Rinehart and Clive Palmer have also been approached.

After the Labor Party won control of both houses of parliament at the 1910 election, the Australian Notes Act was passed, which gave the Commonwealth the power to issue bank notes. The first 10-shilling note was issued at a ceremony at the government's print works on Flinders Lane in Melbourne on May 1, 1913, in the presence of prime minister Andrew Fisher and governor-general Lord Denman.

The Age the next day recorded that the governor-general's five-year-old daughter, Judith Denman, was given the honour of ''operating the numbering machine for the first note'' and produced 10-shilling note M000001. Lord Denman then produced note M000002 and his son, Thomas, note M000003.

Judith Denman producing 10-shilling note M000001

To read the complete article, see: Australia's first banknote to head offshore (www.smh.com.au/national/australias-first-banknote-to-head-offshore-20140429-zr1e3.html)

Wayne Homren, Editor

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