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Auction: 7002 - Banknotes of Hong Kong & China
Lot: 1703

Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Corporation, specimen $500, Foochow, 188- (1886), brown and pale blue, arms top centre, bank title in curve top centre, value at centre and at left and right, text at centre reads Promise to pay the bearer on demand at its office here five hundred dollars or the equivalent in the currency of the port, signature spaces for the Accountant and the Agent, Foochow in border low centre, reverse red, arms at centre, value at left and right (PS. 331-333 for type, cf Money in the Bank by Cribb, page 155 for similar), a Barclay and Fry engraving, the British Museum collection also contains a Foochow $500 but that example cut in half by the Printer for security. Three faint mounting marks, five diagonal ink lines (for cancellation) below, unperforated, a strong and original extremely fine and of the highest rarity. $500 was such a large sum that few notes could ever have been issued. This example is of superior quality, a lovely note. Estimate HK$ 270,000-340,000The Foochow branch opened in 1877, and initially it appears notes of the Hong Kong branch were overstamped for issue in Foochow (see the $25 note, Lot 2032). In 1886, distinct notes were printed for Foochow, these comprising a $1 prepared by Bradbury Wilkinson (illustrated on p.156 of Cribb) also $5 through $500 denominations printed by Barclay & Fry, the $5, $10, $100, and $500 in 1886, the $25 and $50 to complete the series in 1890. While several examples of the $1 note are known to exist, no Issued or Cancelled example of the $5 through $500 denomination has survived.

Sold for
HK$250,000