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Lot 1647      

Estimate $2,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $4,000

THE RIVER DON TRADING COMPANY, River Don, Tasmania, issued at River Don, Twenty two shillings and Sixpence, currency note, dated 16 Jany 1889, (18- printed), number No.129, no watermark, circular value tablets in upper corners, vignette of industrial and farming scene, no imprint but a product of C. Troedel & Co. Melb, stating on front 'On Demand please pay Bearer the sum of TWENTY TWO SHILLINGS & SIX PENCE Stg. Manager Bank of Van Diemen's Land, Launceston, Bank of Australasia Latrobe', signed William Shaw Secretary and John Henry Manager, impressed with Tasmania duty stamp for one penny, and stamped with oval bank stamp of the Commercial Bank of Tasmania, Latrobe; red on white. Holes on creases, edge tears, folds, otherwise nearly fine and very rare for this denomination.

The River Don Trading Company was founded in 1872 and was a successful business, even their bankers the Bank of Van Diemen's Land had failed in 1891, this company continued to trade. John Henry a signatory on this note, was a clever at finances and in 1892 to become the Tasmanian Treasurer. He also was a member of the Convention that framed the Australian Constitutuion making this note a link to the formation of Australia. The River Don Trading Company issued a range of notes from five shillings to five pounds which included some odd denominations as 22/6, 25/- and 30/- which must have had some relevancy to the firm's business. The similarity in design of these issues with those by Alfred Boatwright of Emu Bay who had an imprint of C. Troedal & Co of Melbourne on them, indicates that the issue for the River Don Trading Company were produced by the same printer in Melbourne.