Private Bank Issues

Lot 2720    SESSION 9 - 4.30PM Wednesday 30 July    Private Bank Issues

Estimate $2,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $2,400

UNION BANK OF AUSTRALIA, Melbourne, one pound altered to five pounds, 1 July 1852, (18 printed), No. 111544, handsigned by uncertain Manager and Accountant, note altered from one pound to five pounds by removing corners with 1 and ONE in oval frames and replacing from other notes by skillful attachment a 5 and FIVE in those corners, in addition letters are added to text changing ONE POUND to FIVE POUNDS, a vignette of Queen Victoria seated on throne upper left and the Britannia and Australia allegorical representations, separated by a sailing ship, are present, printed on unwatermarked paper (?), with imprint on centre of bottom frame, 'Perkins Bacon & Petch, London Patent Hardened Steel Plate', black on white, (Vort-Ronald Type One (p225), and compare with other known one pound altered to five pounds forgery, fig.227 (p223), also for specimen proof of £1 and £5 notes copied, see Spink Sale (Perkins Bacon Archive lot 786 and 790 both illustrated). Heavy folds and creases, major repairs to note by additions for alterations (as above), many small holes, and extensive toning, otherwise very good, as a forgery the second known example, and very rare for a one pound note from this bank at this time.

Ex Dr. Alan Nicholson Collection, Noble Numismatics Sale 49 (lot 1609) and Sale 79 (lot 2889).

The forger has been reasonably successful for the alterations and additions of the One to Five in the ornamental frames. But the alteration is less successful in the replacing of the ONE POUND in the text to FIVE POUNDS as a careful check shows traces of the ONE underneath and the added S is noted to interfere with the Stg of the next word of text. Consequently this note is relatively easy to detect as a forgery. Clever concealment of the adjustments have been made by multiple creasing of the note.