Australia’s first banknote, printed 100 years ago and found in a letter in England in 1999, has gone on sale for A$3.5 million (US$3.6 million), auctioneers said Wednesday.
The 10 shilling note, with the serial number M000001, was issued on May 1, 1913 and presented by Prime Minister Andrew Fisher to Judith Denman, the five-year-old daughter of the governor-general at the time, Lord Denman.
It was discovered in 1999, nearly 12 years after Denman died when her effects were being sorted out, and acquired by a private collector in Sydney for A$1 million (HK$8.0 million) in 2000.
It then sold at auction in 2008 for A$1.9 million (HK$15.3 million).
Melbourne dealer Coinworks, which is handling the sale, said the note symbolised one of the most important periods in the country’s history -- the establishment of the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901.
Coinworks chief executive Belinda Downie said that after consulting with experts, her expectation was that it would sell for at least A$3.5 million (HK$28.1 million) which would be the highest price paid for an Australian coin or banknote.