Bank notes

Along with coins, bank notes are a major part of the numismatics market. Buyers will often focus on a particular period of history or a region of the world but people also collect paper money by focusing on grade, errors in printing or serial numbers.

This area of the market has been popular globally since the 1950s. Condition is key – banknotes are internationally graded and those in perfect condition, without any damage and that usually haven't been circulated, are rated as uncirculated (UNC), the highest classification available.


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Get the siege mentality with unusual banknotes on offer

10 June 2024

“Siege notes are a niche but popular subsidiary of military banknote collecting,” says Andrew Pattison, head of the Banknotes Department at Noonans (24% buyer’s premium).

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Banknotes from coronation year

12 February 2024

Spink’s April 13 banknotes sale included a near-complete run of Malaya & British Borneo Elizabeth II specimen notes issued in the coronation year on March 21, 1953.

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The Iraqi note now worth £100,000

12 February 2024

This Iraq specimen banknote printed in India during the Second World War sold for £100,000 plus 24% buyer’s premium at Noonans on November 29-30. It was purchased by a lifetime collector or Iraqi banknotes at double the low estimate.

Iraq banknote

Banknotes sale is best ever at Newbury auction house SAS

06 November 2023

Special Auction Services (SAS) achieved its most valuable ever auction last month, selling banknotes.

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Top stories this week including news of a £50 note making 140-times estimate

19 March 2023

The most viewed stories on this website over the last week included news of a special 1980s banknote being spotted by eagle-eyed bidders as part of a job lot.

Nelson receipt

Receipt now reveals Nelson’s specs appeal

06 March 2023

Nelson’s life and work has been exhaustively researched and evaluated since the day he died.

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Rare banknote was worth a bit more than fifty quid

06 March 2023

Early example note from Sir Christopher Wren issue takes group lot to high four figure price

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Emergency Portuguese banknote sold at Noonans

13 February 2023

A sale of Banknotes at Noonans included this One Rupee note issued by the Banco Nacional Ultramarino in Goa in 1917. The rare first issue note took £13,000 (plus 24% buyer’s premium).

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Thai 10 Baht now worth £12,000

19 December 2022

This Thailand 10 Baht note appears to be a printer’s design that was unissued.

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Banknotes mark end of an era

26 September 2022

Examples from the UK and Commonwealth featuring the late queen make mementoes.

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The £1000 note sold for £32,000

14 February 2022

This Bank of England £1000 note dated October 15, 1935, was issued under chief cashier Kenneth Oswald Peppiatt (1934-49).

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Coins & medals latest sales figures

14 February 2022

The sales figures and market share of the top London auction houses in 2021

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Coins & medals: Inflationary trends as market hits new high

14 February 2022

Price increases and a good supply fired the London coins and medals market to record levels in 2021

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A costly Ploughman

14 February 2022

The first tranche from a large collection of Irish banknotes assembled by the late Gus Mac Amhlaigh of Dublin sold by DNW on November 25 included red and orange Bank of Ireland £20 ‘specimen’ notes from the famous Ploughman series.

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Trinidad & Tobago in colour

14 February 2022

The Trinidad & Tobago $1000 note, c.1914, is itself a rare beast but this example is a colour proof printed on two sheets by Thomas De La Rue.

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Irish ploughman notes picked up by collectors

03 January 2022

On November 25 Dix Noonan Webb sold the first tranche of banknotes from the enormous collection of the late Gus Mac Amhlaigh of Dublin.

Chippendale invoice

Chippendale-Garrick invoice sold to society

08 November 2021

A previously unknown bill for furnishings supplied by Thomas Chippendale (1718-79) has been bought at auction on behalf of The Chippendale Society (TCS).

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Pick of the week: Window into 18th century gentry life

16 November 2020

An item of local interest to bidders at Bamfords in Derby was this 18th century account book for Radbourne Hall, the seat of the Chandos-Pole family.

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Bidders shell out for sign and a noted beauty

19 October 2020

Entered by different vendors to raise money for charities, and accordingly given token estimates, petrol signs and Irish banknotes took the top prices at Clarks Auctions Rooms (17.5% buyer’s premium) in Liskeard.

Banknotes book

Specimen banknotes set house record at auction in Tring

17 September 2018

A book of specimen banknotes printed for locations across the world has set a house record for Tring Market Auctions (17.5% buyer’s premium) by selling for £205,000.

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