PREVIEW: WORLD BANKNOTES: 28 MAY

As the fortunes of the Boers rapidly faded during the Anglo-Boer, or Second Boer War of 1899-1902, Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek hopes were centred on its peripatetic government and its ability to continue financing its forces.

As the British closed in, and having rescued its reserves of gold and silver from the Pretoria mint before it was captured, the ZAR moved its reserves, treasury and printing presses by train from Pretoria around the country as it paid out officials and secured supplies.

 

Eventually the main supply gold ran out and the ZAR forces came to rely on emergency notes in 1901, eventually printing these ‘blue black’ notes on lined school paper when their own paper supply was exhausted.

These Gouvernements Noot (Government Notes) were issued in denominations of 1, 20, 50, and 100 pounds.

With the period of issue being short, these were rarities from the first, but have become increasingly so with the intervening years, with the 50 and 100 pound notes standing out as extremely rare owing to their value and comparative low issue numbers. Only around 180 £100 notes were issued and around ten examples are extant today.

This sale includes 56 separate examples of Gouvernements Noots in varied condition and at values from £100 to £1. The highlight is a £100, Pietersburg note, dated 1 April 1901, with serial number 112A. Printed on thick paper without watermark, with ‘uitgeloot’ on the reverse, it has a tiny pinhole, minor stains and handling, and is in good very fine to about extremely fine condition. This extremely rare note has an estimate of £2,000-2,600.