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Auction: 23888 - The Michael E. Bonine Collection of Persian and World Banknotes
Lot: 45

(x) Imperial Bank, Kingdom of Persia, specimen 1000 Tomans, ND (19th September 1890), serial number L00001-L00500, only 600 issued notes were ever printed between 1890 and 1923, out of which 599 were redeemed, cancelled and subsequently destroyed. As of the final accounting of the 1st series on 20th December 1931, only one 1000 Tomans was listed as being unredeemed.
This unredeemed banknote was dated 10th September 1904 with serial number L00506, and this note is kept alive only by the word of mouth, leaving this specimen 1000 Tomans as the only way to collect or even see the note with your own eyes.

Michael Bonine started collecting in the 1960s and passed away in December 2011. This banknote was his very last purchase from Spink, demonstrating that Mr. Bonine was only able to add this denomination to his collection after more than 50 years of collecting the rarest Persian notes.

This is the highest denomination issued by the Imperial Bank of Persia and the serial number is in the range of 1-500, demonstrating that this note's exact colour and design were used on 500 out of 600 notes that were ever printed. This makes this exact design the most widely used for this denomination.

(Pick 10s for type, BNB 112as, Bonine A.11), printer's annotation dates this specimen 19th September 1890. Perforated SPECIMEN B.W.&CO. LONDON. In PMG holder 64 Choice Uncirculated, printer's annotation, the holy grail and the pinnacle denomination of ''The Qajar Set''. The specimen note is the only practically possible way that could ever be expected to attain it, less than a handful notes believed to be extant makes it an extreme rarity, and its mesmerising beauty a true delight to one's eyes - especially in such pristine condition

Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium.

Sold for
£65,000

Starting price
£21000