Interesting banknotes from India and the Philippines were sold by Stack’s Bowers Galleries on 14th August in Rosemont, Illinois. The finest known 500-rupie note issued by Deutsch-Ostafrikanische Bank of German East Africa in 1912, graded PMG CU 63 was sold for $21,600. An undated Haj Pilgrim note issued by the Reserve Bank of India in 1959, graded PMG Extremely Fine 40 was sold for $60,000. Only two such notes are known to collectors in this grade.

A set of 1-, 5, 10-, and 100-rupee undated Hajj notes, issued between 1957 and 1970 were also offered with grades ranging from Uncirculated to Superb Gem Uncirculated 67 EPQ. The finest known undated 2 rupees, 8 annas note of British India issued in Calcutta in 1917, graded PMG Choice Uncirculated 64 was sold for $24,000. Only two such notes are known in this grade.

A very rare 5-peso note issued for the Philippines on 1st January 1904, printed in England by Barclay & Fry Ltd., graded PMG Very Fine 20 was sold for $26,400 against an estimated value of $1,500. A 10-peso silver certificate note from the Philippines issued in 1912, graded Very Fine 20, printed in Washington by the BEP with a red seal and a portrait of George Washington was sold for $21,600 against an estimated value of $2,000. A 500-peso silver certificate printed in 1906 by the BEP, graded PMG Very Fine 30 with rust marks was sold for $40,800 against an estimated value of $25,000 to $35,000. Only two such examples have been graded by PMG.

Image Courtesy: Stack’s Bowers Galleries