Specimen Notes

Lot 4876       Specimen Notes

Estimate $30,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $48,000

TEN POUNDS, Kell/Collins (1925), issued Specimen note, with numbers U/1 000218, serial number and signatures in black, watermarked basketweave pattern around edges '£10' '£10' above 'Commonwealth' below 'of Australia'. The note is perforated with the word 'Cancelled' (153 mm long) an upset cancellation, with 22mm high letters, two holes 9mm in diameter to left of the note and with 1mm black diagonal lines on both sides of the note, (R.54, Vort-Ronald 46 [Fig.68 illustrated U/1 000211 without diagonal black lines], McDonald 77b). Crisp, nearly uncirculated and of the utmost rarity, the only specimen note of this type ever offered at auction.

A total of 866,000 were printed with this signature combination which include 347,000 issued in 1925. THis number is recorded as part of a group of 22 numbers used for specimen notes (p.74 Vort-Ronald). This is the third lowest number recorded and a unique combination of the second type cancellation for 'Cancelled' with the additional diagonal line cancellation used in the fourth specimen cancellation. It suggests the note was initially cancelled as a Specimen note in the mid 1920's and recancelled with the diagonals characteristic of Specimen issues from the 1936 notes, similar to the other George V specimen notes in this sale. Michael Vort-Ronald discussed this issue in 'Australian Banknotes' on pages 71-75 in chapter 7 on Specimen notes and pages 200-202 on the ten pounds note issue.