1915 Collins Allen Ten Shillings (R2e)

Winsor recalls the auction with clear recollections of the note and its original state.

And his mindset at the time. That he always had the greatest faith in quality notes from the George V era; a conviction that he holds to this very day.

He sold the note to a Sydney collector immediately after the auction, where it has been held ever since.

Historical records indicate that a minuscule 38 examples of this Ten Shillings remain from the original issue of 2 million, this being the equal finest.

It is also on record that the remaining examples are well circulated. 

Prime Minister Andrew Fisher fulfilled his promise to the nation when he introduced Australia’s very first Commonwealth of Australia banknotes in 1913. 

The Ten Shillings was introduced in May 1913 and was the very first Ten Shillings of the British Commonwealth.

The note was modified in 1915 to slightly increase its size over the original 1913 issue and to include the word HALF SOVEREIGN printed prominently in red letters on each of the four margins.

This was an intent on the part of the Government to increase the public’s faith in the note by emphasising that it had the monetary equivalent of a gold half sovereign.

The pale blue outer margins that appeared on the back of the original 1913 issue were removed and the entire surface printed over with the words ‘Half Sovereign’ in shades of lime green and orange resulting in a rainbow effect.