A reader share with me about Straits Settlements $1000 1911 Specimen banknote sold for US$308,619 at Spink Auction on 5 July 2008. He said this notes should be Asia most expensive banknote, replacing complete 6 pieces with same serial number A/1 000001, Malaysia 1st series banknotes. I think some other bloggers also put the $1000 1911 Specimen Straits Settlements banknote as Asian most expensive banknote. In my opinion, Straits Settlements is not consider as an Asian country (in term of currency owner), even though their currency has been used in Asia before, Straits Settlements currency own by British who ruled four individual settlements of Malacca, Dinding (Province Wellesley), Penang (Prince of Wales Island) & Singapore. In the original press release by Spink, they don't mention if this note is the new Asian Most Expensive banknote (Sorry, spink already delete the link). For me, this is the most expensive Straits Settlements banknote sold in Auction.
Straits Settlements Most Expensive Banknote-$1000 1911 Specimen
On the obverse show, Government of the Straits Settlements, $1000, 17 March 1911, serial number A/1 00001, grey and black in color, crowned arms top centre flanked by a lion and a unicorn, value in black tablet at centre, value in green underprint low centre, value at each corner, serial number at each corner, low right are the signatures of the Currency Commissioners, Brockman, Michell and David, value around in four languages, English, Chinese, Malay and Jawi.
On the reverse show grey, tiger at centre, kris at each quadrant, partially perforated CANCELLED, black SPECIMEN overprint diagonally across face of the note, slight rust paper clip mark top left.
The note is good veryfine and the paper still with good body and of original appearance. The note was discovered with an envelope titled SPECIMEN/ON HIS MAJESTY’S SERVICE and listing the serial number of the note in ink. The note was presumably taken off the top of the pile of the new issue of $1000 when they were delivered in 1911 and in the absence of a true specimen a note was required for reference purposes, the Number 1 being closest to hand. This example is an issued note but has been perforated and stamped SPECIMEN so the note could not subsequently be stolen or spent. This was a fairly common practice although obviously not often with notes of this magnitude.
Source: Spink
