From the PMG Grading Room

Singapore 1973 Board of Commissioners of Currency of Singapore 1st Print Replacement Note 10,000 Dollars (Z/I 003000), Pick 8A*, PMG Choice VF-35 EPQ

In 1973 the Board of Commissioners of Currency (BCCS) of Singapore prepared lots of notes for use as replacements. This note is very rare (one of four or five known to exist, notes number: Z/I 000517, Z/I 002489, Z/I 002490, Z/I 003000). All unused Replacement notes are destroyed by BCCS. This is the only note for this Pick number in the PMG Population Report.

Singapore 1980 Board of Commissioners of Currency of Singapore 2nd Print Replacement Note 10,000 Dollars (Z/I 000001), Printer: TDLR, Pick 17a*, PMG EF-45 EPQ

Replacement notes of this Pick number are extremely rare. This is only one of a few notes known. This note is also a Serial Number 1 and the only note in the PMG Population Report for this Pick number.

Singapore 1999 Board of Commissioners of Currency of Singapore 4th Print 10,000 Dollars (0AA000001), P44a, PMG Superb Gem Unc-67 EPQ

All previous serial numbers AA000001 were never released and were kept by BCCS. But in a special government auction, series 1999 notes were sold as part of a BCCS effort to promote numismatics in Singapore. Since the Singapore 1999 series are the only AA000001 notes available to collectors, it is extremely popular. Singapore special number banknotes are one of the most popular and most valuable banknotes in the world. In a recent auction for the MAS notes, a jointly issued SGD 20 dollars note with a Brunei 20 dollars note and special numbers realized over US$140,000. This is the only note of this Pick number in the Population Report.

Thailand 1892 Kingdom of Siam 400 Ticals (V/61 09340), Specimen, Printer: G/D, P7d, PMG AU 53

Issued by the Royal Siamese Treasury, this variety is printed in brown and orange on a blue underprint. This note is inscribed in several languages, including Chinese, English, Arabic and Malay. This is the second-highest denomination note issued in Thailand before 1900. The 1892 set of Thai notes were printed by the firm of Giesecke & Devrient in Germany, but only as specimens. Negotiations with G & D fell through and the contract for printing circulating notes went to Thomas de la Rue in England (Pick 9-13). The German set was never issued and exists only as specimen notes. The notes have sample serial numbers, but the numbers are the same on all notes of each denomination. All of the Royal Siamese notes (Pick A1 through 8) are unpriced in the Pick catalog. This is the only note of this Pick number in the PMG Population Report.

The proposed Treasury issue, in progressively larger sizes, is spectacular both in design and in color. Unfortunately, the issue of Government notes did not begin in Thailand until 1902 when a less elaborately printed series from 1 to 1,000 ticals was ordered from Thomas de la Rue. These spectacular German printed notes exist today only as specimens.

This note also includes the interesting comment Insect Holes, which is not often seen on PMG-graded notes. It is used when a note has “wormholes” or signs of other damage by paper money-hungry insects.

All of the above notes are being offered for sale at Champion's Ultima Auction in August. For more information, visit Champion’s multi-lingual website, www.cghka.com