Specimen Notes

Lot 4877       Specimen Notes

Estimate $90,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $86,000

ONE THOUSAND POUNDS, Kell/Collins (1924), issued Specimen note, with numbers 2A 58383, 2A prefix in blue, serial number in black, black signatures, inverted watermarked of three rows of multiple crown over A, 142 x 223 mm, The front has its main print, intaglio and lithograph. In the centre of the note in black intaglio with cursive script except for 'One Thousand Pounds' which is in old English style is the reading: 'Australian Note. The Treasurer of the Commonwealth of Australia promises to pay the Bearer One Thousand Pounds in gold coin on demand at the Commonwealth Treasury at the seat of government'. Light blue lithograph medallions around the borders. The Australian Coat-of-Arms appears at the bottom centre and 1000 within four medallions appears in each corner. There is no imprint appearing on this note. The background print in letterpress has in large orange bordered letters 'ONE THOUSAND POUNDS'. The back in black intaglio has as its main feature a large flock of sheep within an ornamental surround with large 1000 at each side, and 'one Thousand Pounds' in block letters at the bottom in the centre. The background colours feature letterpress tints in pale lime, salmon, pale lime rainbowed vertically. On both back and front appear blue centering lines projecting from the edge 8 - 13mm. The note is perforated with the word 'Cancelled' (122 mm long) twice with each cancellation 35-53mm (18mm high letters) from the bottom edge of the note on the front and from the top edge of the note from the back. In addition the note has four cancellation holes 13mm in diameter near the 1000 numbered medallions. (R.70b, Vort-Ronald 62, McDonald 99). Slight thinning on back near edge from gum attached at an earlier time, with centre longitudinal fold, three vertical folds, otherwise good very fine and of the utmost rarity, the only circulated one thousand pound note ever offered at auction.

A total of 35,985 were printed with this signature combination. Michael Vort-Ronald discussed this issue in 'Australian Banknotes' on pages 71-75 in chapter 7 on Specimen notes and pages 245-252 on the one thousand pound note issue. The word 'Cancelled' on this note is shorter than the usual mid 1920's version (the second type cancellation, see the Specimen notes for ten shillings to ten pounds in this sale which are 154mm long and 24mm high) and is designated by Vort-Ronald as the third type cancellation produced in the mid 1930's.