REVIEW: THE FRANK GOON COLLECTION PART THREE: 22 MARCH

The Frank Goon Collection has been praised as “the finest collection of its type extant today.” The record-breaking result for the top lot in this latest outing from the collection proves the point.

Setting a new high for any banknote depicting Her Majesty, the late Queen is a Board of Commissioners of Currency, Malaya and British Borneo, $1000, dated 21 March 1953. It carries the serial number A/1 07972, with the obverse depicting Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at right in the year of her coronation, with orchids in the field, the value at low left and top right, and the Taylor signature lower centre. The reverse features the 16 arms of the Federated Malay States.

 

About uncirculated, this is truly exceptional note – the top graded example on the PMG population report. Thought to be the largest note ever produced featuring Elizabeth after she became Queen, it had an estimate of S$100,000-150,000 but sold for an exceptional S$260,000 (£150,000) in the Singapore sale.

It is the first time that this particular note has been offered for sale at public auction, and three bidders pursued it to the record price. As Andrew Pattison, Head of the Banknote Department at Noonans, said: “The interest in this note was unsurpassed by anything we’ve seen during the sale of the Frank Goon Collection. Collectors were coming to see it just to say they had seen it, taking selfies with it and some even had group photos holding it!” 

The note sold to a long-term collector who loves rare and beautiful notes, and anything relating to Queen Elizabeth II.

The three parts of the Frank Goon collection, which has covered banknotes of Malaya, The Straits Settlements, Sarawak, British North Borneo, Singapore, Malaysia, and Brunei, comprised 784 notes and has realised a combined hammer total of £3.2 million.