Banknotes for Sail - Money for old Boat!
Dix, Noonan and Webb are auctioning old Northern Ireland banknotes, some of maritime significance.Lagan Legacy helps to promote the enterprise.
Maritime banknotes for sail; money for old boat!
Newsletter. 29th Feb. 2007.
Whilst Titanic images, collectables and memorabilia are internationally ubiquitous, it isn't altogether surprising that pictures of the doomed ship haven't been seen much, if at all, on postage stamps or banknotes. These are not the places to display tragic disasters; though a beautifully engraved banker's certificate is held in America from the famous owner of the Titanic International Mercantile Marine Company issued in the 1920's. This historic Stock Certificate was printed by the American Banknote Company and has an ornate border around it with two vignettes. One of the vignettes is of a ship similar to the Titanic and the other is of a woman in a nautical setting. This item is hand signed by the company's officers and is over 76 years old; a real gem of a collector's item.
Whilst the engraving may or may not be the Titanic, other Belfast-built vessels like the Canberra have made relatively regular appearances on postage stamps, and our maritime heritage has by no means been excluded from banknotes. Tomorrow (Friday) is a viewing day for collectable paper currency, coins and medals in Belfast's Ramada Hotel organized by top London auctioneers D.N.W. (Dix, Noonan, Webb). They're also holding an exhibition of some very rare bank notes and the like, mostly from Northern Ireland, and a number of them nautical. One of the most interesting is definitely authentic, but of uncertain original use. D.N.W's consultant Michael O'Grady described it as "not actually a banknote, but prepared and printed in America on behalf of the Belfast Banking Company probably around 1890."
The £1 note itself is undated, and depicts a sailor with a fog horn on the upper left section of the artwork leaning over the side of a ship. "There are also two women sitting on what looks like the sea shore with sailing ships in the distance," Michael explained, "perhaps emphasizing the often used ‘hands across the water' theme, but definitely stressing the ocean as an important aspect of life." Mr. O'Grady considers the note to be exceptionally rare, possibly used for fundraising and getting cash repatriated to Ireland - "We very rarely ever see these," he added.
Maritime themes, indeed themes of any description, have only become collectible recently in the now expanding world of paper currency collecting; the activity itself has only gained popularity since the 1960s. Another Northern Ireland item on view tomorrow with a maritime theme is a ‘proof note' depicting a sailing ship.
This is a fine example of the artist's final draft, printed by the printer, for the banking company to check and accept, or otherwise! "We don't know which ship it is," David said of the scarce 1800s Northern Banking Company note "maybe someone who sees it will recognize it." As well as the sailing ship, the artwork includes images of weaving and agriculture, other important aspects of life. "The ship emphasizes trade, crucial to society at the time," Michael told me as he analysed the history wrapped up in a five pound note, "and also, the note lists the locations of the banks that circulated the currency." This is an endearing quality, with the towns' names proudly printed above and below the vignette. These days with banks in most towns, there wouldn't be room for this luxury.
Tomorrow's Belfast viewing is in advance of a major London auction on 15th March including these and other notes circulated predominantly by five of our banks from the early 1800s till now - the National Bank, the Northern Bank, the Provincial Bank, the Ulster Bank and the Belfast Banking Company. Many of the items make up the third and final lot of a deceased hobbyist's private collection who David said "had a fabulous collection of paper money from Ulster." Strangely to me there's one depicting Harland and Wolff which he called "a £20 specimen note."
Considering it is dated 1970 I suggested that I might have one of these in my wallet and he smiled "That would be very unlikely. A specimen note needs to be virtually if not completely unused. Condition is absolutely crucial." There's another beautiful ship in full sail on a rare 1916 Ulster Bank tenner, hitting a high note valued at over two thousand pounds.
And did you hear about the one about the Irish three pound note? Well it's true.
To see the notes, or for free valuations, the viewing is at Belfast's Ramada Hotel tomorrow Friday, Shaw's Bridge, Belfast from 12 noon till 6pm.