NOONANS to sell THE MOST EXPENSIVE BANKNOTE DEPICTING QUEEN ELIZABETH II AS QUEEN IN THE THIRD AND FINAL PART OF THE frank goon collection of british malayan banknotes

The most expensive banknote to be offered at auction depicting Queen Elizabeth II as Queen will be offered by London’s specialist auctioneers’ Noonans in Singapore on Saturday, March 22, 2025, at 6pm local time (10am GMT). From the Board of Commissioners of Currency of Malaya and British Borneo, the $1000 note is dated 21 March 1953 and is estimated to fetch at least S$100,000-150,000 (£60,000-£90,000) [lot 134]. It is part of the sale of the third and final part of the legendary Frank Goon Reference Collection of British Malayan Banknotes – one of the greatest collections of all time - which will take place at Orchid Junior Ballroom, Level 4, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore.

Barnaby Faull, Senior Specialist in the Banknotes Department at Noonans, explains: “This utterly iconic Malaya & British Borneo $1000 features a beautiful portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. Issued in 1953, in the first two years of her reign, this high denomination note has always been highly sought after by collectors and this, the finest surviving example, is sure to attract a huge amount of attention.”  

He continues: “It is the most expensive note to bear the portrait of Elizabeth II as Queen” and is the first time that this particular note has been offered for sale at public auction 

The Frank Goon collection has covered banknotes of Malaya, The Straits Settlements, Sarawak, British North Borneo, Singapore, Malaysia, and Brunei and the previous two parts comprising 538 notes have realised a combined total of S$3,925,570 (£2,360,815). The final auction, which includes many other wonderful items, from issued notes to specimens, proofs, and photographs showing designs that were never put into production, includes 246 lots and is expected to fetch S$1,800,000-S$2,400,000 (£1,000,000-£1,400,000).