NOONANS MAYFAIR SELL RARE BANK OF ENGLAND BANKNOTES

A very rare £100 note from the Birmingham branch of the Bank of England, dated May 1894 sold for a hammer price of £38,000 at Noonans Mayfair in a sale of British and Irish banknotes today (Thursday, March 14, 2024).

Signed by Horace G. Bowen, who was Chief Cashier between 1893 -1902, it was one of only two surviving Bowen notes above £5 issued anywhere other than London. It was estimated at £24,000-30,000 [lot 114].

Following the sale, Andrew Pattison, Head of the Banknotes Department at Noonans commented: We are extremely pleased, but actually not too surprised by how well the note sold.  It is just such a rare note, with the magic combination of Bowen signature, £100 denomination, and Birmingham issue location, and the condition was wonderful. It sold to a passionate collector of rare UK notes who is delighted with his purchase.”

Elsewhere in the sale a rare, if not unique £500 note dating from October 1929 sold for a hammer price of £36,000. It was the only known surviving £500 note signed by Basil G Catterns, who was Chief Cashier between 1929-1934 and was being sold by a long-time collector of British notes who has owned it for almost 15 years. It had been estimated at £22,000-28,000 [lot 142].  

A very rare £5 note from the Bank of England branch in Bristol dating from June 1850 sold for a hammer price of £19,000. It was signed by Matthew Marshall, who was Chief Cashier between 1835-64 and estimated at £15,000-20,000. It was stamped issued by Tugwell, Clutterbuck and Ricardo, who were a local bank in Bath [lot 113].