1966 $2 Specimen Note Type 1 Coombs/Wilson Uncirculated
| We Last Sold This Item For: | $3,100.00 |
|---|---|
| Last Sold On: | 26/5/2021 |
| # Sold In Past 12 Months: | 0 |
1966 $2 Specimen Note Type 1 Coombs/Wilson Uncirculated
Front: John MacArthur at right
Back: William James Farrer at left
Period on Issue: 1966
Mintage: Unknown
This is one of THE very first Australian $2 notes ever printed.
To mark the introduction of Australia's new decimal currency notes in 1966, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) prepared a special album that included two examples of each of the new denominations, as well as information on their design and production. It is known that 17 albums were personally named for the recipient and signed by the Governor of the Reserve Bank, and were presented to:
● The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Governor-General (Lord Casey), The Governor General's Wife, (Mrs. Casey), The Prime Minister (Sir Robert Menzies), The Federal Treasurer (William McMahon), The Secretary to the Treasury (Sir Roland Wilson), President of the Senate (Sir Alister McMullin), Speaker in the House of Representatives (Sir John McLeay), Leader of the Opposition (Arthur Calwell), The Governor of the Bank of England (Retired, Lord Cromer), The Governor of the Bank of England (Lord Cobbold), The Governor of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (Gilbert Wilson), the artist Alister Morrison, the artist Gordon Andrews and the artist Russell Drysdale.
An additional 235 albums were printed in exactly the same style, although they were not signed by the Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia. Only 191 of these albums were actually distributed, to the following people and organizations:
● The Governor of the Reserve Bank (Sir Herbert “Nugget” Coombs), The Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank, Reserve Bank Board Members, Members of the Design Panel, Major Trading, State, Savings & Foreign Banks, Commonwealth Central Banks, Other Central Banks, Libraries & other institutions in Australia & overseas, High Commissioner in London, People and Organizations on the General Manager's list (mostly printers and overseas banks), Reserve Bank Archivist, Retired Treasury officials as well as Mr. E. Kingsford Smith.
A total of 208 “Type I” specimen banknote albums were thus distributed.
If we presume that albums distributed to public collections will never be available to the collector market, it seems that at most, only 86 Type I Specimen note sets will ever be available to collectors.
Specimen banknotes are of great interest to collectors for the following reasons:
● They are excessively rare;
● They are printed before the commercial print run for the general public; and
● They were generally presented to a “very restricted list of prominent persons”.
At the peak of the banknote boom, individual Type I decimal specimen notes were quite regularly bringing between $14,000 and $17,000 each.
The market has now eased of course, however certainly seems to be lifting off the bottom.
We haven't seen individual Type I decimal specimen notes trade in this current price range since the early 1990's - very few sets had been split up by that time, so individual notes were far and few between back then.
Some doomsayers will say that the supply of these notes has escalated dramatically since mid-2012 - the reality just doesn't match that perception.
If we take the Type I specimen $1 note, only 1 example has been seen at auction in 2021. 2 were seen in 2020, just 2 in 2019, 3 in 2018 and just 3 in 2017.
Given how important these notes are to any collector of Australian paper decimal notes, I hardly see that as being a flood!
This note remains in pristine condition - it is devoid of any creases, flicks or folds, and has an attractive sheen.
It remains as exclusive, rare, and historic as it did when comparable notes were selling for more than $14,000 each, and has to be excellent value for money.
SKU: 19653
Browse our catalog of Two Dollar Notes below:
Others Also Bought
More From This Category
I've taken my coins to Andrew a few times. Him and his staff are very nice people. Andrew is honest and down to earth. 👍
I have purchased several bulk lots of world coins from Sterling & Currency over the last few years. Read more...
I live on East Coast but prefer dealing with Andrew on the West due to his integrity, knowledge and prices, Read more...
Just purchased a 1966 blue case decimal mint set. Andrew gave me a ring to ensure it had arrived and provided Read more...
.jpg)
The team at Sterling & Currency is a family affair – small but growing. Andrew Crellin is the main dealer in the business, click here to read this credentials and how he started with the Perth Mint; spent a decade in Sydney working with two leading dealers and relocated back to Perth in 2006.
Jo is our budding Numismatist, Chief Event officer, Photographer and Packing Extraordinaire. Natalie is our media creator and photographer. Nicole manages the accounts and is part of the Packing Team. A myriad of important duties are carried out by the team that include photography, website updates, office admin, and chocolate eating.
Ruby the Ridgeback quite frankly has learned nothing about coins, however contributes by barking at anyone wearing hi-viz.
We're Always Buying!
We need to buy tens of thousands of dollars worth of coins and notes each and every week of the year.
If you'd like to turn all or part of your collection into cash, get in touch with our expert staff and we'll be happy to start working on a deal with you.
Australian Gold Coins
We have extensive experience in handling all Australian gold soveriegns and halves, from the Adelaide Pounds of 1852 right through to the last coins of George V of 1931. All of the Australian gold coins in our online shop are described in detail with high resolution images.
Coins
At Sterling & Currency, we specialize in handling Australian coins dating from our nation's settlement in 1788 through to the introduction of decimal currency in 1966. We have an extensive range in our online store of Australian gold, copper and silver coins.
Decimal Coins
The Australian proof and UNC coins struck by the Perth Mint and the Royal Australian Mint are the most accessible coins available to collectors today. If you're not able to find a particular coin that you're keen to add to your collection, let us know and we'll be contact you when it becomes available.