REVIEW: BRITISH & IRISH BANKNOTES: 25 MARCH

Bank of England rarities continue to do well, as this sale showed, the top lot a Horace G. Bowen £10, issued in London, and dated 21 June 1895. A spectacular note in terms of both condition and rarity, with no London issues known above this denomination, it sold at top estimate for £26,000.

Another Bank of England note – a £5 with the manuscript signature of Matthew Marshall – was issued in Birmingham on 26 April 1856. Although split and rejoined with ‘official banknote tape’ pinholes, and with one area of ink burn, and minor annotations, it is thought to be the only example of this note in private hands. Bidders chased it above its guide to £24,000.

A Bank of England £100, issued under Ernest M. Harvey in Liverpool, and dated 12 September 1923, was entirely free of pinholes or graffiti. A clean and attractive about very fine and an extremely rare high denomination branch note, with only six examples known, it sold above top estimate at £10,000.

Among the early forgeries on offer was a Bank of England London £5, dated 23 September 1879 and issued under Frank May. Crossed with the words Believed to be a forgery across the front in red ink, it had been estimated at £120-180, but rose as high as £280.