Stack’s Bowers NYINC World Paper Money Highlights

By Tracy Schmidt 

I enjoyed the selection of World Currency offered at the Stack’s Bowers Galleries January 2020 NYINC Auction. There was a strong selection of Canadian currency offered. I enjoyed seeing the variety of notes offered by Bermuda and the Bahamas.

In particular, with regard to Canada, I kept an eye on lot #30135, a Bank of Ottawa 5 dollars, 1900 note graded by PMG as VF-25 EPQ. The note was estimated at $20,000 to $25,000 and hammered in above estimate at $30,000.

I also kept watch on lot #30171, a PS186r Colombia Estado Soberano de Panama 1 peso dating 1866-1872 graded by PMG as Choice VF-35. The vignettes of this uniface remainder note are quite lovely, depicting a woman at lower left, boat and mountains in cartouche, standing allegorical woman and plants at center, Gen. T. Herrera at lower right. Estimated at $1,000 to $1,500, the note surpassed its projection and realized $4,320.

Lot #30282 was a P17b Iraq Government of Iraq half dinar, 1931 (ND 1935) graded PMG AU-55 EPQ, having the signatures of Lord Kennet and Shakir al Wadi. The note features a portrait of King Faisal II as a child at right. Estimated at $10,000 to $12,000, the note sold slightly below estimate at a bargain $9,000.

Lot #30443 was a colorful P60a Spain Banco de Espana 500 pesetas dated 1907. Graded by PMG VF-30, the note depicts two women reclining at left and right, leaning against the medallic portrait of the king at center. Estimated at $1,000 to $2,000, the note sold on target for $1,080.

All images appear courtesy of Stack’s Bowers Galleries. ♦