Most Attractive World Banknotes?

Albrecht Durer's "Venetian Woman", she may have been more than a friend:

 

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This is another one that I really like.



Cambodia P17 - 5000 Riels
(Unissued)
Serial Number: 155043
Front: School children at right
Back: Head of Lokesvara at Ta Som

 

I believe those never made it over to Cambodia by the time the government fell there. So subsequently the printer must have sold them into the collecting community. For a short bit of time they had a really high catalogue value - then dealers were sending them out as premiums and the prices plummeted.

 

I have to admit I love that note and was wondering why the price was so low considering it's 1972 date. I bought one off of a person who said he got his during the Vietnam war period so I paid a bit more than the $1 or so they sell for. The 1000 riel note is similiar in color and size to the 500 riel note which I guess was issued. The 500 riel note has signature 13, 14 and 15 with signature 13 (also issued in 1972) being rare. The 1000 riel note only has the one signature so you'd need to understand the prefixes to know which ones existed in the early 70s. It's sort of a shame that certain earier prefixes of that note don't sell for more than later prefixes and I think the problem is that no one understands the prefixes. Some of those notes were made in 1972 and if someone could identify them that would make them worth more I hope. Someone on ebay told me he understands the prefixes and is writing a book on it, but I'm not holding my breath.

 

This is the 1000 Riel note.

 

Modern notes are very nice, full colored, well drawn and printed, but nobody feel the charm of the oldest notes?

Here are some samples of Kingdom of Sardinia notes (Regie Finanze del Regno di Sardegna), the first Italian paper money, issued since January 1746 to September 1799.

The first issue, in 1746, is for financing the war of Kingdom of Sardinia, allied with Austria, against France and Spain. These bills are a hybrid between banknotes and bonds, because they give 4% interest, with maturation after four years.
The notes are a great success, and their circulation goes virtuously until 1783, when the bad result of the wheat harvest forces the issuance of a large number of notes, and once started to roll on this slope is impossible to go back, because people continues to have trust in this financial instrument, which causes increase of new issues by government.

When, in 1798, Piedmont and Turin are occupied by Napoleon, who proclaims the Piedmontese Republic, the amount of circulating notes is really huge, and their real value is only one third of their face value.
On September 1st, 1799 a final issue is made for 20 million Lire, but people has now lost trust in paper money and refuses to accept: all notes are declared out of legal tender by a decree of July 28th, 1800.

From my collection 25 Lire, October 1st, 1792





50 Lire, October 1st, 1792. The notes of the last years are more common, the first years could be prohibitively expensive





Last issue, September 1st, 1799, 50 Lire





100 Lire, last issue 1799. The back of all these notes is blank





petronius

 

50 Lire, April 1st, 1796





This is what remains of a 200-lire note of the last issue, September 1st, 1799. Why was it cut? mystery :whistle:





That's all folks :i-wave-hi:

petronius :too-cool-for:

 

Petronius, I am glad you shared those. Whilst I own many dozens of 18th century notes from 1733-1792 none of them have fine engravings like those Italian states notes. It is rather obvious that the printers of those notes were onto something with the fine engravings being a deterrent to counterfeiting.

 

Meanwhile later on in Italy:







Allegory of Spring by Botticelli - Italian renaissance at it's finest.

 

The reverse of the 20.000 Lire from 1975, made Cointalk appropriate by bequest of June Cleever:

 

From Amor sacro, Amor profano (Holy Love, profane Love) by Tiziano Vecellio (Galleria Borghese, Rome)





petronius :smile

 

I guess the front is nondescript and boring? Beautiful reverse.

 

Here's some notes with animals. The giraffe note design should be on a beer label somewhere.

 

It's right, but it wasn't enough Fakes are known for these notes, contemporary...and modern.

I have other Italian old notes in my collection (Papal States, Venice, Lombardo-Veneto) I'll show them next days

petronius :smile

 

I'm not sure on most attractive, but my favourite notes of all time are:

2012 50-baht note featuring King Naresuan
Bank of England One Pound note featuring Isaac Newton

 

Thai have a lot of great colorful notes with the King and Queen on them and I will try to get all of them. They're not too expensive unless you want a specimen note. I like the notes with the young Queen on there, she was quite beautiful in those early days. Move over QEII.

 

Thailand is one of those areas where I just collect all their commemoratives because they are so well done.

 

Yes, that's a beautiful note, quite big as well. I bought that one in the past few months but haven't got the one below yet.

 

This one: