Currency Auction Realizes $2.2 Million

The Nov. 2008 issue of Bank Note Reporter reports that Spink’s London auction of world paper money Oct. 1st realized $2,221,362. The star of the show was a million-pound  U.K. Treasury note: No. 000008; consigned by Bill Parkinson; a collector of English currency for more than 50 years. It sold for $138,138;   plus an additional 15-20% buyer’s fee. Other Bank of England top-sellers included:

• 50 pounds. May 5, 1832. P-215. Manchester. Good VF. $67,040.
• 50 pounds. May 6, 1858. Like P-244. London. VF. $31,757.
• 500 pounds. May 31, 1918. P-318. Manchester. About VF. $40,579.
• 1,000 pounds. Nov. 15, 1933. P-334. London. About EF. $52,929.
• 1,000 pounds. Oct. 15, 1935. P-341. London. Good EF. $35,286.

Other sales included the following Abraham Newland issues:

• 1 pound. 1801. P-180. Grade not reported. $5,999.
• 1 pound. 1807. P-190. Grade not reported. $7,058.
• 2 pounds. 1798. P-176. Grade not reported. $15,172.
• 2 pounds. 1807. P-191. Grade not reported. $11,291.

Other notes sold included:

• U.K. 1 shilling. Treasury. 1918 series. P-353. Grade not reported. $5,117.
• U.K. 5 shillings. Treasury. 1918 series. P-354. Grade not reported. $8,822.
• U.K. 2-and-sixpence. Treasury. 1918 series. P-355. Serial A/1 000000. Grade not reported. $9,528.
• Straits Settlements. $100. Specimen. Feb. 1, 1901. P-4B. Good VF. $109,394.
• Straits Settlements. $50. Specimen. Feb. 1, 1901. P-4A. Good VF. $91,750.
• Straits Settlements. $10. Specimen. Jan. 1, 1925. P-11a. About EF. $31,761.
• India. 1,000 rupees. 1917. Calcutta. P-12b. Good EF. $23,815.
• India. 1,000 rupees. 1917. Calcutta. P-12c. About UNC. $29,108.
• India. 1,000 rupees. 1928. Calcutta. P-12a. EF. $19,406.
• India. 1,000 rupees. 1928. Calcutta. P-12c. About EF. $16,760.
• India. 2 rupees, 8 annas. 1917. P-2. Grade not reported. $6,350.
• India. 50 rupees. 1917. P-9b. Grade not given. $13,052.
• India. 50 rupees. Not dated. P-9d. Grade not given. $9,171.
• Ceylon. 50 rupees. June 1, 1926. P-26. About VF. $15,520.