Printer’s essays led sale offerings

In its second paper money catalog of April 25, Spink offered 246 lots of Middle Eastern and North African bank notes. Along with issued notes, the catalog included a plethora of rare trials, die proofs, specimens, and essays from a wide range of countries. In many ways, the catalog content complimented that of the earlier Arabian Gulf sale.

Five Saudi Arabian printer’s essays mounted on card led prices realized. Top-priced lot was a unique printer’s face and back composite essay for a 100 riyals, c. 1970.

Face of top selling Saudi Arabian 100 riyals composite essay c. 1970 that realized $41,606 at Spink’s second sale on April 25. (All images courtesy and © Spink, London)

The obverse depicts the Al-Masjid al-Nabawi mosque at right center beneath the bank’s title and the signatures of Anwar Ali and Musa’id bin Abdul Rahman. No issued note is known with this design. It was presumably intended as part of the 1971 series and several of its design elements occur within that series. It had little difficulty in realizing $41,606 [£32,400] on a £10,000-15,000 estimate.

The other four Saudi essays fetched from $16,950 [£13,200] to $30,819 [£24,000].

Some distance back in the price stakes a National Bank of Egypt specimen £100 dated Oct. 2, 1912, P-6s3, took $12,328 [£9,600], in UNC marred only by some faint mounting traces.

This same price was made by a Qatar Monetary Agency 500 riyals P-6. It came graded PCGS About New 50 Apparent but with a rust stain and pinhole. It is rare in any grade but nonetheless the price-realized was just below lower estimate of $13,000 [£10,000].

Rare Qatar 500 riyals P-6 that sold just below lower estimate for $12,328 in PCGS About New 50 Apparent.

Also from Qatar a 500 riyals false color specimen, P-6cs, took $11,558 [£9,000] in UNC on a £8,000-10,000 estimate.

Other high-rollers included:

• Qatar & Dubai five riyals false color specimen (1966), P-2cs, UNC: $10,016;

• Qatar 50 riyals false color specimen (1973), P-4cs, about UNC: $10,016;

• Anglo-Palestine Bank 1948 specimen set, 500 mils-50 pounds, P-4s-18s, about UNC: $9,246;

• Jordan 10 dinar die proof (1965), P-12, EF: $8,938.

King Hussein features of this Jordan 10 dinar die proof, P-12, that fetched $8,938 in EF.

The total realized for the collection was $501,258. Full catalog details and prices-realized are available from www.spink.com. A premium of 20 percent has been added to all prices shown. These have been converted at a rate of 1GBP = 1.28USD.