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Downies Sells Rare Australian Specimen Set
 | By Kerry Rodgers, Bank Note Reporter
September 02, 2008 |
An extremely rare Australian specimen set was among the large paper money offering that formed part of Downies 299th auction held in Melbourne on July 9 and 10.
It consisted of two, complete, $2 to $100, Johnston-Fraser, 1985 paper note sets, Standard Catalog of World Paper Money Nos. 43e, 44e, 45e, 46e, 47e, 48b, but overprinted "SPECIMEN" in small red print over the watermark on the fronts and backs.
Johnston-Fraser signature notes were not issued in specimen form and no listing appears for such specimens in the Standard Catalog. This obverse/reverse pair set was assembled by Note Printing Australia and presented in a NPA album to the team leader of signatory Bernie Fraser's staff. It is presumed to be unique.
The $2s to $20s are all first prefix issues. The $50s and $100s are not. Some pairs are consecutively numbered. The set came with letters signed by Fraser attesting its authenticity. And, at the end of the day, the lot had made a healthy $44,740 including buyer's premium.
By way of contrast, a $10 Johnston-Fraser bicentennial specimen, AA00 000000, No. 0817, (as SCWPM No. 49a), and contained in the album in which it was given to the vendor by Fraser, took just $22,370 on a $31,500 estimate.
Also among the large offering of Australian decimal notes was a consecutive pair of first prefix, AN96, $100 1996 Fraser-Evans test notes (SCWPM No. 55a) in choice uncirculated. They realized $6,520 on a $4,100 estimate. This is only the second pair Downies is aware of to be offered in such superb grade.
Full details of the catalog and prices realized are available from www.downies.com/aca. The buyer's premium was 19.25 percent.
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