2016-01-14 Thu

Did you know that one of the world’s nine one million pound banknotes was sold in 2011 in London, England for $115,000?

The eight-inch-wide green note was issued by the Treasury on August 30, 1948, in connection with the Marshall Aid Plan after the Second World War. The notes were a part of a $300 million loan from the United States but were never legal tender. Most of the bills from the transaction were destroyed except the highest denominations and two million pound bills survived.

The million pound banknote was one of only nine, numbered 000001 to 000009, that were produced for a period of six weeks only.

Two of them, numbers 000007 and 000008, survived, as they were presented as mementoes to the respective American and British Treasury Secretaries. The others were destroyed. These notes were in use for a period of six weeks only and were not meant for public circulation.

These notes bear the signature of E E Bridges in the lower right hand corner and is cancelled over the signature and stamped 6 October 1948, Bank of England.

Spink sold number 000007 through a private sale for £8,000 in 1977. In 2011 the note number 000008 was sold for $115,000 in a special sale at London.

And what’s more? The banknote was the subject of a 1954 movie starring Gregory Peck called The Million Pound Note!