(FORT LEE, N.J.) – More than 600 lots of rare and highly collectible U.S. and worldwide banknotes, scripophily and security printing ephemera will be sold at public auction Tuesday, May 20th, 2014 by Archives International Auctions at their offices in Fort Lee, New Jersey, with live internet and absentee bidding available at https://archivesinternational.com/.

Headlining the auction will be the “Tasmanian Devil Collection” consisting of 32 lots of rare Australian banknotes, to include specimens and numerous replacement/star notes. “This amazing collection represents one of the largest offerings of rare Australian banknotes to be offered at auction in the United States in decades,” said Dr. Robert Schwartz, President of Archives International Auctions.

Featured will be a gem uncirculated 1984 $20 Serial #1 banknote; a set of ND (1974) specimen banknotes in denominations ranging from $1 to $50; numerous Replacement/star notes, including an amazing high grade ND (1968) $20 star note with Phillips | Randall signatures; an ND (1932) £5 Riddle | Sheehan note in VF condition; and many other Australian banknotes rarely found at auction.

China will be represented with a dozen lots, including an extremely rare Central Bank of China 1949 essay specimen that was only discovered eight years ago in the archives of American Bank Note Company. Cuba will be represented in the auction with a unique hand-painted and drawn essay banknote by TDLR.

Other star lots will include an amazing 1880 £1 color trial specimen from New Zealand; a 1909 Banco De Puerto Rico $10 issued and cancelled note; a beautiful high-grade Banco Occidental 1914 issued banknote from El Salvador; an outstanding specimen set of five U.A.E. notes from the 1973 and 1976 (ND) issue; and a rare discovery issued Venezuela note, never offered previously at auction.

Also sold will be the balance of the “Scarsdale Collection” of more than 120 lots of modern African banknotes and additional selections from the “Hamtramck Collection,” assembled by a career military officer over a 50-year period from the 1940s to the 1990s, including worldwide banknotes being offered for the first time in 30-50 years.

Autographs will feature a historic 1816 Samuel F. B. Morse handwritten letter; an 1843 William Wordsworth autographed letter; a group of Francis Spinner letters; a historic and presidentially signed “Short Snorter” by General Eisenhower, President Truman and numerous well-known military figures; a Calvin Coolidge signed check; and numerous other rare, historic signatures.

A quartet of California “Gold Rush” Clipper Ship trade cards will come up for bid, as will many Civil War letters (some with compelling military content); and a rare War of 1812 capital funded stock receipt for the loan of 1813 (Hessler X-71), found by an astute collector at a small book show and one of only three known); as well as dozens of other historic documents and letters.

Also offered will be 15 lots of Liberty Loan and savings bonds; U.S. banknotes to include a rare Hawaii emergency issue $20 star note (Mule); an 1879 $10,000, Bank of America Clearing House certificate specimen; numerous obsolete small and large type notes; and nearly 100 lots of U.S & worldwide scripophily, including railroads, banking and many other categories and topics.

Previews will be by appointment from Thursday, May 15, until the date of sale, May 20. To pre-register for live internet or absentee bidding, log on to the Archives International Auctions website, at www.archivesinternational.com. The catalog is online at the website and is available as a virtual catalog.

The May 20th event is the 19th auction for Archives International Auctions since its founding in 2005. The firm has become synonymous with quality auctions dedicated to U.S. and worldwide banknotes, scripophily, security printing ephemera, coins, philatelic material, postal history, historic documents and ephemera. “We are privileged to offer another exceptional selection of rare and historic banknotes and scripophily.” Dr. Schwartz said of the burgeoning genre.

AIA is always seeking U.S. and worldwide banknotes, stocks, bonds, stamps, coins, autographs and postal history, from better individual items to large estate collections for auction or private treaty sales. Please contact them to discuss your auction or sales needs at info@archivesinternational.com; call them at (201) 944-4800 or you may write them at 1580 Lemoine Ave., Suite #7, Fort Lee, NJ 07024. To learn more about Archives International Auctions and the firm’s upcoming calendar of events, including the May 20 auction, please log on to www.archivesinternational.com.

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