In the Stack’s Bowers Galleries Official Auction at the January 2020 New York International Numismatic Convention (NYINC), we will be offering a very special 1884 Bank of British North America 5 Dollar note certified by PCGS Currency. This extremely rare example is one of only seven pieces known. Two are housed in an institutional collection and another is stamped canceled. This leaves only four redeemable notes in private hands. The last example sold was in the January 2012 Heritage Signature FUN Auction where it realized $34,500 USD. It was PCGS-certified VF-20. Our January offering is an opportunity that many collectors will wait a lifetime for – the chance to purchase such a highly revered and respected piece of Canadian Banknote history.
The Bank of British North America was founded in England in 1836 as a private institution meant to conduct commerce through certain North American provinces. For 82 years the British Bank of North America succeeded in banking, with over 92 branches. However, World War I imposed restrictions on communication and travel, making it difficult for the bank directors in England to continue operating in the same manner. In 1918, the Bank of British North America was absorbed by the Bank of Montreal. At the time of the merger, the bank had total assets of $78 million. All issued banknotes are redeemable today.
This treasure is certified by PCGS Currency as Fine 15 with comments of “Small Edge Splits”, which are negligible for key notes like this.
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About Stack’s Bowers Galleries
Stack’s Bowers Galleries conducts live, Internet and specialized auctions of rare U.S. and world coins and currency and ancient coins, as well as direct sales through retail and wholesale channels. The company’s 80-year legacy includes the cataloging and sale of many of the most valuable United States coin and currency collections to ever cross an auction block — The D. Brent Pogue Collection, The John J. Ford, Jr. Collection, The Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. Collection, The Harry W. Bass, Jr. Collection, The Norweb Collection, The Cardinal Collection, and The Battle Born Collection — to name just a few. World coin and currency collections include The Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. Collection of World Gold Coins, The Kroisos Collection, The Alicia and Sidney Belzberg Collection, The Wa She Wong Collection, The Guia Collection, The Thos. H. Law Collection, and The Robert O. Ebert Collection.
Topping off this amazing numismatic history is the inclusion of the world record for the highest price ever realized at auction for a rare coin, the 1794 Flowing Hair Silver Dollar graded Specimen-66 (PCGS) that realized over $10 million, part of their sale of the famed Cardinal Collection. The company is headquartered in Santa Ana, California, with offices in New York, Wolfeboro, Hong Kong, and Paris. Stack’s Bowers Galleries is an Official Auctioneer for several important numismatic conventions, including American Numismatic Association (ANA) events, the New York International Numismatic Convention (NYINC), the Whitman Coin & Collectibles Spring, Summer, and Winter Expos, and its April and August Hong Kong Auctions.
