WORLD BANKNOTE AUCTIONS SALE 28

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V25 2022 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 25, Number 26, June 26, 2022, Article 20

Here's the press release for World Banknote Auctions upcoming Live Sale 28. Nice material, as always. -Editor

World Banknote Auctions has now listed Live Sale 28 on its website, which is divided in two sessions. Session 1 is our live session, and will be sold on July 7, 2022, with live bidding that day at 1 PM Eastern / 10 AM Pacific. Session 2 is a timed session that starts to end on Sunday, July 10 at 6 PM Eastern / 3 PM Pacific, with lots ending every 20 seconds (unless extended, please see the website for details). World Banknote Auctions Sale 28 offers a total of 945 lots of paper money from around the world. Some highlights are selected below but the entire catalog can be viewed on the company's website, www.worldbanknoteauctions.com

Sale 28 offers a wide variety of items, including a selection of notes offered in conjunction with Mattox Coins and Currency of Raleigh, NC. A particularly strong selection of Cyprus is bench marked by a PMG graded Superb Gem Uncirculated 67 EPQ example of a 1 Pound 1955, Pick-35a (lot 28110). A popular type note with portrait of a young Queen Elizabeth II, this is a very scarce type, particularly at this grade level. The offering of Cyprus also includes a number of very scarce dates issued after the country gained its independence, such as a PMG 66 EPQ 5 Pound dated 1961 (lot 28113) and a challenging 1966 1 Pound graded Gem UNC 65 EPQ by PMG (lot 28121). Additional selections of Cyprus will be in our next sale.

A strong selection of notes from the People's Republic of China includes an original choice uncirculated example of Pick-843a, a 500 Yuan 1949 offered in lot 28090. Notes from this series are very challenging with EPQ status due to the fragile paper they were printed on and the extensive circulation this series saw, and such notes regularly sell for a considerable premium. Another such note is offered in lot 28092, which is a 1000 Yuan from the same series (Pick-847c) graded About Uncirculated 55 EPQ by PMG. Both notes have already seen considerable pre-auction bidding activity, highlighting the popularity of this series in original, problem-free condition.

World Banknote Auctions has offered strong selections of Middle Eastern banknotes recently and this sale includes several modern rarities from the region. Lot 28033 is the highest denomination (10 Dinars) from the first series of Bahrain issued in 1964 (Pick-6a) graded Gem Uncirculated 66 EPQ by PMG. While the 5 Dinars from the series has traditionally been considered the key to the series the 10 Dinars has slowly started to come to the attention of collectors and high grade examples are quickly put away in advanced collections. Another Arabic rarity comes in the form of lot 28380, an 100 Riyals from the first series of Qatar (Pick-5a, issued in 1973) graded Gem Uncirculated 65 EPQ by PMG. A very challenging type that represented a fairly large sum at the time of issue, it has become a very challenging type to find in original uncirculated condition, and is surely missing from many advanced collections.

Collectors of European type notes will include a pleasing selection of scarce types, such as an early PMG Gem Uncirculated 65 EPQ White Fiver with Mahon signature from Great Britain (Pick-320a) dated 1926 that is offered in lot 28184, and a challenging 1 Pound treasury note issued during World War II graded Gem Uncirculated 66 EPQ (Pick-349a) offered in lot 28186. Moving further north to Iceland, lot 28226 is scarce 500 Kronur dated 1928 (but issued in the mid 1940s) graded Gem Uncirculated 65 EPQ by PMG that features a low 3-digit serial number. A very scarce type in higher grades, we have seen very few low serial numbers of this type, and it would appear that they were quietly released into circulation at the time of issue, making it difficult to find one in such a lofty grade .

Speaking of low serial numbers, you can't go any lower than the first serial number, and two Scottish notes with serial number 1 are featured in this sale. Dated 2002 from the Clydesdale Bank PLC, lot 28428 is a 5 Pound note (Pick-218d) graded Choice Uncirculated 64 EPQ, while lot 28431 is a polymer 10 Pound note from the Clydesdale Bank graded Superb Gem Uncirculated 67 EPQ by PMG. While both of these feature the very first serial number, the 5 Pound note from 2002 is particularly interesting as it features the first prefix for that date, making it a true serial number 1.

World Banknote Auctions offers notes at all grade levels, and two rarities from the 19th century in circulated grades are worth mentioning. From the very first series of paper money of Japan (undated but first issued in 1872) comes lot 28275, a 10 Yen (Pick-7) graded Choice Extremely Fine 45 by PMG. A higher denomination that is very scarce, precious few auction appearances of this type have been noted, especially at this grade level. Finally, lot 28504 features a PMG Very Good 10 graded example of a rarity from Venezuela. Issued by the Estado Guyana, this is part of an extremely rare series of private notes that, as this example can attest, circulated extensively at the time of issue. Only a single auction result has been recorded for this issuer in the past decade, making this an extremely rare opportunity for the South American specialist.

Session 2, which takes place on July 10 at 3 PM includes a fascinating collection of Disney Dollars. These were issued (until 2016) at Disney theme parks and in Disney stores and were exchangeable for US Dollars. They are tied to the US Dollar and could be used for purchases at the parks and in stores (they are still accepted to this day, although no longer issued). Extremely popular with collectors, the notes are produced with very high standards, although as typical centering can be off, making high grade examples for many issues very scarce. This sale offers several scarce varieties, and should be an exciting opportunity for collectors of these fascinating items.