This was published 6 years ago
Banknote issued by Sir Thomas Brisbane in 1824 to be sold at Brisbane Money Expo
By Toby Crockford
In its day it could buy 20 barrels of rum but fast-forward almost 200 years and a historical bank note will go on the market for half a million dollars over the weekend.
The old currency will be sold at the Brisbane Money Expo after being first issued in 1824 by Sir Thomas Brisbane, the then-governor of New South Wales and the man who the city of Brisbane was named after.
The bank note worth 20 Spanish Dollars will be sold in Brisbane over the weekend and has an estimated worth of $495,000.
The historical banknote will be sold by rare coin and banknote specialist, Coinworks, with managing director Belinda Downie saying it was a great honour to be presented with an opportunity to sell the "culturally significant" note.
"I feel really proud when we sell pieces at this level," she said.
A Holey Dollar used in Australian currency during the 19th century.
"I value history and we are selling a piece of history.
"It's not even about the dollar, it's about the history."
The Bank of New South Wales Twenty Spanish Dollars note will be displayed at the expo and is one of only two that still exist today.
In 1822, Sir Thomas Brisbane decided to reform the currency system of the colony and change to Spanish Dollars, which was the strongest currency at the time.
An Aborigine Threepence was also used during the 19th century.
Since the Spaniards had invaded the silver-rich South America, they had established mints to convert the silver into coins, meaning Spanish currency was the greatest trading coin of its time and a worldwide currency.
Coinworks will also display an uncirculated 1813 Holey Dollar valued at $550,000 and its partner – an 1813 Dump valued at $275,000. The Holey Dollar had the middle section cut out, which was called the Dump and was valued at 15 pence in the 19th century.
Also available for public viewing will be an 1852 Adelaide Pound (Australia's first gold coin) valued at $450,000 and an 1860 Aborigine Threepence valued at $195,000.
The coin from the 1800s depicting Indigenous Australians was a private issue and came before an Aborigine was put on the first $2 coin in 1988.
The Brisbane Money Expo will run until 4pm on Sunday at the Royal International Convention Centre in Bowen Hills.