REVIEW: BRITISH & IRISH BANKNOTES: 12 OCTOBER

Bidders showed their appreciation for an exceptionally rare Bank of England note in this sale, taking it way past its £12,000-16,000 estimate to sell for £32,000.

The note in question was the Horace G. Bowen, £5, of Leeds, dated 12 July 1900, with serial number U/65 37229, printed Bowen signature, and ‘York’ handstamp on reverse.

 

Bowen was Chief Cashier at the Bank of England from 1893 to 1902, and Leeds issues were rare.

The sale included several rare Bank of England notes. Also from Leeds was a very rare £5 note dated 28 July 1862 and signed by Matthew Marshall who was Chief Cashier of the Bank of England from 1835 to 1864. It doubled low estimate at £20,000.

An excessively rare £50 note, also signed by Marshall and dated 6 October 1845, sold well above high estimate for £26,000.

Andrew Pattison, Head of Banknotes at Noonans, said: “Bidding was extremely fierce, with the notes going to two different buyers, both of whom are advanced collectors of English banknotes. There were multiple bidders on each note right to the top, which just shows that interest in rare and unique collectable banknotes is extremely strong.”