PREVIEW: BRITISH & IRISH BANKNOTES: 14 MARCH

A wealth of rare Bank of England banknotes promises to attract very high bids in this auction, with five alone combining to bring top hopes of £132,000.

Foremost among them is an exceptionally rare £50 dating to 3 April 1780, with the serial number 29. Equivalent to about £11,250 today, the hand signed and countersigned note, with Britannia at top left, has one large cancellation hole and the signature removed as cancellation.

 

Despite worn edges, tape repair and other damage, it is printed on clean paper with strong visible print and manuscript text and is in very presentable condition. It is one of only two such notes recorded in English Paper Money (EPM) and is expected to fetch £26,000-32,000.

From more than a century letter comes a £100 note signed by Horace G. Bowen, who had become chief cashier in 1893. This note, issued from Birmingham on 19 May 1894, is also one of only two such notes known, and the only Bowen branch note recorded above £5, an extremely rare denomination for a seldom seem cashier. The estimate is £24,000-30,000.

From 15 October 1929 comes a £500 Bank of England note – equivalent to around £40,000 today. Signed by Basil G. Catterns, a chief cashier and later Deputy Governor of the bank of England, as well as High Sheriff of the County of London, the note is in very fine condition, and the only one of its kind recorded in EPM. “A staggeringly rare and important note, the pinnacle of any Catterns collection,” advises Andrew Pattison, head of Noonans’ Banknotes.
It has a guide of £22,000-28,000.

Finally, a £10 note issued from London on 31 October 1835 was issued just before the death of the then chief cashier Thomas Rippon. Issued with the Donald signature, and a truly handsome and extremely rare note, it should sell for £18,000-22,000.

Matthew Marshall, who replaced Rippon as chief cashier, and stayed in office for 30 years, issued 15 June 1850 £5 Bristol note that also appears in this sale. An extremely rare branch on an already rare type, this superb note has an estimate of £15,000-20,000.