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Lot 1655      

Estimate $500
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $500

GEORGE ESPIE, Merchant, Charleville, Queensland, one pound, currency note, dated March 30 1918, (hand written), numbered No. 1594, signed G. Espie, watermarked paper but uncertain wording, value as Ã…â€Å‣1 in circles in corners, imprint of 'Watson, Ferguson & Co Ltd Brisbane', on front above, Australian arms with surround of 'George Espie Merchant', below 'The Queensland National Bank Limited, Charleville, Please pay the Bearer on Demand the sum of One Pound Sterling', within rectangular border, with details of Espie business activities on side and 'ONE POUND' above and below, in circles on each side near top 'ONE', in background in large letters in two lines across 'GEORGE ESPIE CHARLEVILLE', with purple oval and block bank rubber stamps, one with date 12 Apr. 1918, green and black on white. Minor ink stain, soiled back, otherwise good very fine and rare.

This note by a merchant for Charleville in North Queensland shows that even in 1918 their was a shortage of paper money. A similarity even to colour, to the Skinner notes issued 14 years earlier at the same town, suggests links between Skinner's issue and Espie. The notes in this local area would be cashed at the bank's branch also at Charleville. They would then be presumably be redeemed by the issuer.