Stanley Gibbons Baldwin’s Bank Note Return
Stanley Gibbons Baldwin’s returned to the banknote market with strong results for British and world issues, from crisp Bank of England notes to rare Boer War emergency currency.
Rare notes from the British Isles and beyond were sold in what was the first bank note auction held in several years for the Stanley Gibbons Baldwin’s auction house. “Baldwin’s banknote auctions produced some interesting results,” explains numismatics specialist Richard Gladdle about the pieces on offer at the British & World Banknotes event, held January 29.
On offer were notes that were divided into two themes: British and World. The first section highlighted a collection of British notes that comprised early Treasury and Bank of England issues. “British banknotes did very well, especially in high conditions,” says Gladdle. “A Bank of England £5 (lot 126) issued in 1957 realized £431 due to its being crisp uncirculated and early serial number.”
This section of the sale also offered a collection of English and Welsh provincial bank notes, mostly from the early 19th century. According to Gladdle, the sale of the English provincial notes was not as strong as 20 years ago, but the pieces of the Backhouse series, which included banks in cities in the northeast that were incorporated into Barclays (lots 137 to 147), performed well. As did a Cornish £1 bank note for Mevagissey that was issued in 1823 (lot 103), which sold for £431.
The world category also saw good results. Among the bestselling examples were the Chinese varieties. Gladdle explains that these issues are “very popular at the moment, attracted a lot of interest, and a Hong Kong and Shanghai $1,000 note (lot 222), issued in 1983 realized £861.” Gladdle also found that the most surprising issue in this section was in lot 270 with an emergency penny bank note that was issued by a general store in Lichtenburg, South Africa, as it was besieged during the Boer War in 1901.
“Lichtenburg, between Pretoria and Mafeking, had become a British garrison deep in Boer territory,” says Gladdle. “The Boers had made a determined effort to take the town earlier in March that year but failed. Boer resistance dragged on for another couple of years, and it was during this time that W. H. Langrish, the general store in Lichtenburg, issued this crude penny note on the 1st of November 1901—which was cancelled a year later in November 1902 a few months after hostilities had ceased.” The very rare emergency bank note realized £1,599, including commission.
More information about the British & World Banknotes auction is at sgbaldwins.com.
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