Lot 4501

Description

Randell & Scott, Lang's Crossing, Hay, Murrum Bidgee, issued at Hay, one pound, currency note, dated 18th April 1861, (18- printed), number No.36, no watermark, value tablets in upper corners, vignette of steam ship in centre, imprint of H. Berger Lit. lower left, stating on front 'We Promise to Pay the Bearer on demand here, or in Adelaide, S. Australia, Twenty Shillings Sterling, value received', signed Randell Scott, black on white, (Spink Noble Sale 36 lot 2722 similar item, and discussion Mira 'From Riverboat to Iron Horse', 1990, p16). Note attached to cardboard, many folds and creases, close trimming on two edges, and small piece out of one side, otherwise very good and extremely rare.

Ex Walsgott Collection (lot 520), Spink Australia Sale 1 (lot 257) and Dr. Alan Nicholson Collection, Noble Numismatics Sale 49 (lot 1631) and Sale 79 (lot 2897). Many promissory notes were issued by stores, hotels, and a few by transport providers. This issue by a transport provider is for crossing a river, the Murrumbidgee river, which for this note has the spelling in two parts. The spelling was consolidated at a later date. Water transport was an important means of trade as road and rail transport at this time had not been developed. The crossing of rivers was a formidable problem and entrepreneurs who set up ferries made very good profits from these ventures. A promissory note of importance being one of only a few that have survived that circulated from this era in New South Wales.