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Auction: 26009 - World & British Banknotes featuring the Jersey Collection Part II
Lot: 286

Palestine Currency Board, a hand-executed front essay for a proposed issue of 1 Pound, 1st January 1927, serial number 000000,

This fascinating, unadopted essay was produced by designer Colin Braun for Bradbury Wilkinson for the newly established Palestine Currency Board. The intricate design incorporates separately affixed elements depicting the Citadel of Jerusalem, decorative guilloche, and text.

The first dated issue was in September 1927, making this early January 1927 piece incredibly appealing. The importance of the piece lies in the exceptionally narrow historical window to which it belongs. In November 1926, three major banknote printing companies were being considered to print the design, and on the 17th December 1926, the Board approved the decision to work with De La Rue instead of Bradbury Wilkinson & Co. This essay is tangible evidence of an alternative design of what could have been the 1 Pound issue.

The design elements differ significantly from the De La Rue note adopted. It was decided in Palestine Currency Board meetings occurring in November-December 1926, that an identical design was to be used for all four high denominations to cut costs, and that the Tower of David was being considered as a suitable motif (Dabbah, pp. 109-111). The imagery of the Tower of David did make it onto the final issued notes and can be found on the reverse of all of the 1927-45 issues, but it was never used on the obverse as a focal design feature. This makes the design entirely unique.

In 2018, Spink offered another exceptional Palestinian essay: a 50 Pound, 1926 essay from the Shlomo Tepper Collection, which achieved exceptional results. This appears to be one of Spink's most exciting Palestine essay offerings in quite some time.

(Pick unlisted), uncirculated, mounted on board, minor pencil marks right edge, tape on reverse with printed torn lettering stating 'kindly make all alternations', paper label affixed on top of board with text 'Designed by Bradbury Wilkinson & Co Ltd'

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Estimate
£7,000 to £12,000

Starting price
£4800