The extremely rare Malaya 10,000 Dollars note is expected to fetch up to £28,000

Rarities from around the world will be auctioned at the first sale held by the new stand-alone banknotes department at international specialists Dix Noonan Webb in London on 2October 2018. They include a high denomination Malayan specimen note none of which are known to survive in issued form, a 19th century Spanish 500 Pesetas of which even the Bankof Spain does not have an example, and the only number 1 note of the first date of issue of the Irish Ploughman series known to be in private hands.

"We are delighted to be able to be offer such a fine selection of rare notes in our first sale," said Andrew Pattison, head of the department, who joined Dix Noonan Webb withspecialist Thomasina Smith at the beginning of July. Until now banknotes came under the umbrella of the coins department but Pattison and Smith have set up a new separatedepartment working with DNW's banknotes consultant Michael O'Grady, who continues in his previous role.

The star lot in the 2 October auction is the Board of Commissioners of Currency Malaya colour trial 10,000 Dollars note issued in 1942, which is estimated at £24,000 to£28,000. Such high denomination notes are known colloquially as 'Titans' and no issued examples are known. They were used for internal or interbank transfers as they were far toovaluable to be carried around in someone's pocket. This Malayan note has no serial number and is described in the auction catalogue as "an exceptional example of an extreme rarityand a classic design."

The Banco de Espana specimen 500 Pesetas issued on 1 July 1876 is so rare that not even the Bank of Spain has one in its collection. The example to be offered by DNW isbelieved to be one of only two known and is the more complete of the two as it is printed on higher quality paper. The note, which has zero serial numbers, is expected to fetch£9,000 to £12,000.

The Spanish 500 Pesetas (left) is one of only two known while the number 1 note from the Irish Ploughman series is thought to be the only one of its type in privatehands.

The Irish Currency Commission Provincial Bank £10 from the Ploughman series dated 6 May 1929 has the serial number 1. It is known that four other number 1 notes from thePloughman series have survived but all of these are either in bank archives or in the National Museum of Ireland. It is believed that the Provincial Bank note to be auctioned atDNW is the only number 1 note of the first date of issue for the Ploughman series in private hands. It is estimated at £7,000 to £9,000.

Other highlights of the sale include an Iranian specimen 5,000 Rials with a previously unknown overprint intended to obscure the image of the Shah immediately after the 1979revolution which overthrew him. This is expected to sell for £5,000 to £7,000. A rare 1942 specimen Iraqi 10 Dinars portraying King Faisal II as a baby is estimated at £5,500 to£6,500, while a set of eight proofs for the 1927 Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Corporation 100 Dollars is thought to be unique and should fetch £3,000 to £4,000.

For more information, see:
https://www.dnw.co.uk/auctions/