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Auction: CSS61 - South East Asian Banknotes and Coins
Lot: 6040

The Government of Sarawak, group of 3 archival photographs of unissued fractional notes, 1, 5 and 10 cents, handwritten date 2 June 1945, uniface obverse only.

The Numismatic News article written by Kerry Rodgers posted on 24th November 2020 states: 'They were prepared late in the war when Britain’s government was beginning to focus on reoccupying parts of its lost empire. The Brookes had ruled Sarawak for 100 years prior to its falling to the Japanese in 1942. The last of the so-called White Rajahs, Charles Vyner Brooke, recognized he lacked the resources to rebuild his shattered country. He opted to cede Sarawak to Britain as a Crown Colony.

Brooke had minted no coins nor had he any notes printed that might be circulated once the Japanese had been expelled. When Britain became aware of Brooke’s intent to cede, they ensured a supply of emergency currency would be available for their new colony in the same manner they were doing for Malaya. It is not known whether the Sarawak emergency issues were prepared by Britain in conjunction with Brooke or not. Whatever that detail the result is the three small change 1945 notes now on offer.

Essentially, these are specimen proofs if not trials. There is no evidence these notes were printed in any quantity. None were ever issued.

The design of each of the 1945 notes is similar in some respects to Sarawak’s pre-1942 issues. Each names the issuer as THE GOVERNMENT OF SARAWAK as do those pre-1942 issues but the 1945 notes lack any provision to be signed by TREASURER OF SARAWAK. Rather, the matter is left open with a space labeled FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF SARAWAK.

And all the 1945 notes lack the vignette of Charles Vyner Brooke present on all his earlier issues, including an emergency 10 cents produced in 1940 (P-25).'
(Pick not listed), PMG 66EPQ, 65EPQ and 66EPQ respectively. Virtually the only way to acquire a set of this design. A fully printed set will be offered in Spink's NYINC sale on 15th January 2021. Rare and important (3)

Sold for
HK$75,000

Starting price
HK$28000