The Red Ox Collection of Lebanon

Banque de Syrie et du Liban, Lebanon, contemporary forgery of a 100 Livres, also known as the ‘Carpet Note’, 1 December 1945, serial number U.34 904, Busson and Letayf signatures, original paper, a few edge splits and a spindle hole at left, overall a fresh and clean very fine example, and a forgery of genuinely remarkable skill, one of the most beautiful and iconic banknotes of the 20th century, very rare even as a forgery
TBB B223x, Pick 53, PCLB 71a for type £2,000-£3,000


See pages 114-117 of ‘The History of Lebanese Banknotes’ by Tony Anka and Wissam Lahham for full details on this remarkable forgery. In brief, over 1000 example of the forgery were discovered in 1952, and resulted in a mass note withdrawal and a degree of panic in Lebanon. It is still unclear where the incredible forgeries were produced but it seems likely that gangs in either Italy or Israel were responsible.

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Red Ox Collection of Lebanon.

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