rare £100 banknote from the liverpool branch of the bank of england among highlights AT NOONANS

An extremely rare £100 banknote from the Liverpool branch of the Bank of England dating from 1855 is expected to fetch over £20,000 in an auction of British and Irish Banknotes at Noonans Mayfair on Wednesday, June 26, 2024. 

As Andrew Pattison, Head of the Banknotes Department at Noonans comments: “This remarkable note is of the highest quality and is dated from 26 January 1855, making it almost 170 years old. It is signed by Matthew Marshall who was Chief Cashier of the Bank of England between 1835 to 1864 and is one the highest denominations that he signed.  The note has been cut in half and then taped back together.  This is because £100 was so much money (around £15,000 today) that the two halves of the note were posted separately for security, and then put back together later on so the note could still be used” [lot 132]. 

Another of several rare Liverpool notes is a £10 from 23 December 1882, signed by the later disgraced Chief Cashier Frank May and estimated to fetch £15,000-20,000 [lot 133].  

In addition, the auction features a in impressive specimen £1,000 note signed by Ernest M. Harvey – dating from 1922 and estimated at £18,000-20,000 [lot 138], and an incredibly early £10 note signed by Abraham Newland, dating from 17 February 1789 that is estimated at £20,000-£26,000 [lot 124].