1991 Banknote Portfolio 25th Anniversary Of Decimal Currency
| We Last Sold This Item For: | $5,250.00 |
|---|---|
| Last Sold On: | 10/6/2024 |
| # Sold In Past 12 Months: | 1 |
25th Anniversary Banknote Portfolio (Issued in 1991)
Includes 4 pre-decimal notes, each with a last prefix: 10/-; £1; £5 and £10
Includes 4 paper decimal notes, each with a first prefix: $1; $2; $10 and $20
Each of the 8 notes has matched serial numbers
One of the most presentable numismatic items ever released in Australia.
Note Printing Australia and the Reserve Bank released just 800 rare banknote portfolios to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the introduction of decimal currency in 1991.
This was followed up in 1994 by another banknote portfolio that commemorated three different anniversaries of the remaining notes circulating in Australia at that time.
These folders include one of each of the last 1,000 ten shilling, one pound, five pounds and ten pound notes ever printed in Australia, and also include one of each of the first one dollar, two dollar, ten dollar; twenty dollar; fifty dollar and one hundred dollar paper notes ever printed in Australia.
All of these notes were taken from Reserve Bank archives, have matched serial numbers and are incredibly rare.
These sets are something that even the most uninterested non-collector can appreciate as being historic and valuable - they are a perfect heirloom to pass down through the family.
By a strange twist of the free market, the value of the album is significantly lower than the current catalogue value of the individual notes it contains ($5,500 as opposed to $13,000).
A superbly presented set containing notes in original condition and with matched serials simply has to be worth more than a set put together note by note.
Incredible Value When Compared to The Type I Specimen Banknote Set From 1966
Following Australia's change to decimal currency in 1966, a very exclusive number of presentation folders were issued to various governmental dignitaries and senior banking personnel involved with the design and issue of Australia's new notes. It's estimated that only 120 of these sets were issued, and each includes two specimens of each new Australian note. (Each specimen has matched “000000” serial numbers, and is overprinted with the word “SPECIMEN”.) For many years specimen notes have been the sole domain of a clique of senior government & banking officials. Highly prized by the collector market, the "Type I" specimen note set from 1966 (including 8 notes) will set you back at least $39,500.
The 25th anniversary portfolio is very similar to the specimen presentation sets, in that it also contains Reserve Bank archival material; the notes have very low, fully matched serial numbers; and they are also superbly presented.
The Mind-Boggling Rarity of Fully Matched Serial Numbers:
There is little doubt that collectors pay a premium for a set of banknotes with matched serial numbers – not only for how attractive they look, but also for their exclusivity and sheer rarity. So just how rare is a set of notes with matched serial numbers?
Banknotes are distributed as the economy requires, on a geographical basis. Accordingly, the first batch of $1 notes may have been sent to Sydney, the next to Melbourne, and so on. The first batch of $2 notes however may have been sent to Perth and the next to Brisbane. So even if you were first in line at your local bank branch on February 14th 1966, you wouldn't have had batches of similarly numbered notes to choose from. Not only that, but over 270 million notes were printed in Australia in 1965 & 1966 – you would've had a far better chance of winning the lottery than getting a series with numbers that were even within cooee of each other.
Solid Underlying Demand
Following the removal of the $1 notes from circulation and the introduction of our "plastic fantastic" notes, collector interest in Australian notes increased markedly. There is a great deal of collector demand for the standard pre-decimal, paper decimal and even polymer decimal notes used each day by Australians around the country. As values of the standard notes rise, so does the value of the 25th Anniversary Banknote Portfolio.
Additional Demand from a Broader Base Due to the Superb Presentation
These portfolios were designed by the R.B.A. to be an enduring testament to the change in decimal currency in 1966 - an event that was undoubtedly the greatest change to Australia's monetary system in the 20th century.
Just the fact that one of the introductory pages features the signatures of the Treasurer and the Secretary to the Reserve Bank indicates that preparation for the release of this set involved the RBA's management at the highest level.
One feature that really sets this album apart is the incredible attention to detail shown in the design and manufacture of the folder. It is clear that the inner pages were prepared by a graphic designer - design elements from each of the notes included is shown throughout, each page is a pleasure to look at.
The stitching of the leather binding is of the highest quality - the fact that it's even been made in leather is remarkable! All of these factors combine in an item that is of the highest quality, which means that in turn it appeals to a far broader market of potential buyers than simply banknote collectors alone. I know of more than a few owners of this impressive album who simply have it at home as something they can pass down through the family, they enjoy it for it's unique history rather than another type of investment that needs to be checked every day of the week.
Banknotes withheld from circulation are normally reserved for presentation purposes to V.I.P's & government dignitaries.
There is absolutely no doubt at all that these folders have stood up well to the test of time.
SKU: 16922
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