NOONANS TO HOLD THEIR INAUGURAL ASIAN BANKNOTE AUCTION IN HONG KONG

More than 400 Asian banknotes will be included in Noonans inaugural Asian Banknote Auction in Hong Kong on Friday, June 19, 2026, at 5pm (HKT) at the Crystal Room, Golden Mile Holiday Inn, 50 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon.
 
As Thomasina Smith, Global Head of Numismatics, Noonans said: “After the success of three major auctions in Singapore, it is exhilarating for us to be expanding further, particularly into a location as vibrant and exciting as Hong Kong for what is Noonans Banknote Team’s 50th auction.”

The inaugural sale consists purely of Asian Banknotes, with large sections of China and Hong Kong notes, as well as examples from British Malaya, Japan, Korea, Laos, Nepal, and many other locations.

Among the highlights is an extremely rare $25 note that was issued for the Deutsch-Asiatische Bank in Tsingtau on 1 March 1907. Bearing no serial numbers or signatures, this note was never circulated and is expected to fetch HK$200,000-HK$260,000 (£20,000-25,000) [lot 43]. 

Thomasina Smith adds: “This is certainly among the most beautiful of all world banknotes and is the first we have ever offered at Noonans.”

The sale includes a strong Hong Kong section, predominantly consisting of rare proofs and specimens. From the Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Corporation, a beautiful obverse and reverse De La Rue composite essay for a proposed $100 note, dated 31 December 1982, which has no signatures and features a completely unknown design with hand-painted views of the various HSBC headquarters buildings. It is estimated at HK$50,000-HK$70,000 (£5,000-7,0000 [lot 231].

A selection of notes from Chinese Communist Banks will be offered including one that features Josef Stalin and another Vladimir Lenin. The example from the Workers and Peasant Bank dates from 1934 and shows Vladimir Lenin on reverse. It is estimated at HK$80,000-100,000 (£8,000-10,000) [Lot 374].