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Falklands (1901) 5 shillings and (1899) £1 bills on sale at London’s Spink’s

Monday, September 9th 2013 - 02:04 UTC
Full article 13 comments

Two Falkland Islands bills will go on sale at Spink’s London World Bank Notes next October 2-4, which are considered to be of great interest for British Empire and/or low serial number enthusiasts. Read full article

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  • Frank

    In the museum that has been set up in the old presidio in Ushuaia there is one rather disgusting display of items looted from a private house in Stanley. ... neatly laid out together with the name of the looter.

    These looted banknotes should be treated in the same way as artworks stolen from the jews by the Nazis would be treated if someone tried to auction them........

    Mind you I can understand the RG desire to cash them in... they would be worth a lot more than any RG banknote from any era....

    Sep 09th, 2013 - 02:32 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • lsolde

    l'm sure l read somewhere that the Falkland Pound or the Pound Sterling was the accepted currency, in the late 19th & early 20th century of Patagonia & some other parts of South America.
    l read a book once about the Jaguar hunters from Brazil accepting Pounds for their Jaguar pelts.

    Sep 09th, 2013 - 04:41 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • RedBaron

    If the RGs confirm they have stolen banknotes and other items and if the Falklands' government/Treasury can verify that these notes were indeed held prior to 1982, shouldn't FIG immediqtely contact Spink and tell them to withdraw the items from the sale? Anyone who buys these items is surely at risk of having them seized (and maybe also of handling stolen goods!)

    Sep 09th, 2013 - 04:55 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • GALlamosa

    “Britain introduced the pound to the Falklands when it reasserted sovereignty over the islands in 1833. It issued paper currency denominated in Falkland pounds - on a par with the pound sterling - between 1899 and 1901. Denominations were five and 10 shillings, one and five pounds, P-A1 to P-A4”.

    This is incorrect. Falkland Islands currency is issues by the Government of the Falkland Islands, not the UK Government. Always has been, always will.

    Sep 09th, 2013 - 06:47 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Pete Bog

    Expect to see more of these as they are the only way the Argies can make money out of the currency they stole. Hope they notice the wording on the banknotes; 'The Government of the Falkland Islands' Lol.

    Sep 09th, 2013 - 08:17 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Brit Bob

    After 1833, despite Argentinian protests, this is more evidence (if it were ever needed) that Britain has consolidated title of the Falklands on the basis of adverse possession and effective occupation.

    Sep 09th, 2013 - 09:06 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • ChrisR

    The only surprise here is that it took this long for the thief to try and sell the notes.

    I do hope it rebounds on them.

    Sep 09th, 2013 - 02:07 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Islander1

    Isolde- correct- in and around Rio Gallegos in Santa Cruz province in southern patagonia the £ sterling was the currency on the farms and I think in Rio Gallegos until about 1900 - in those days the number of Brits- mostly having arrived there from the Falklands - outnumbered the Argentines.
    Perhaps we should launch a counter-claim!

    Sep 10th, 2013 - 01:37 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Pete Bog

    @8 Islander 1
    After reading Mainwaring's Falklands to Patagonia many many years ago (in Stanley library) illustrating that many Falkland Islanders wishing to escape FIC employers, settled in Patagonia well before the Argentines, and Bishop Stirling's church misson in Ushuaia; I indeed wonder why Islanders don't point this out in retaliation to the Argentines bildge???

    I think that your MLA's will see the penny drop as they carry on their marvellous travels to educate the world, as long as they research their own history.

    You have made a valid point-hope your MLAs are smart enough to mention this.

    Sep 10th, 2013 - 02:45 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Falkland Islands

    @8 totally agree, the Falklands and British settled there long before the Argies.

    Sep 10th, 2013 - 02:46 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • ChrisR

    I contacted Spink's and here is my email and the reply with ID’s stripped out:

    Subject: RE: Are Spink's in danger of unknowingly selling stolen goods?

    I refer your lawyers to the following item:

    http://en.mercopress.com/2013/09/09/falklands-1901-5-shillings-and-1899-1-bills-on-sale-at-london-s-spink-s?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily

    Within the text it alleges that:
    “According to Spink’s the two items arrived from Argentina in an envelope marked Billetes Islas Malvinas.”

    This is clearly in Spanish and referring to the mythical “Malvinas”.

    Your lawyer’s attention is particularly drawn to post 1).

    Surely there should be a written and signed bill of transfer between the illegal Argentine occupiers who confiscated the notes and the real owner of the notes? If so, this will be UNIQUE and probably worth more than the notes themselves.

    I am confident that Spinks’s will have done its due diligence but I can say without fear of contradiction that as a retired Brit living in Uruguay NOBODY trusts the Argentines.

    Ask Repsol if you want corroboration.

    A copy of this email has been sent to the Falklands Islands Government for their information.

    AND THE REPLY:

    Dear Mr

    You should be aware of the facts of these notes before making assumptions. The notes were presented to the manager of the Bank of Argentina at Rio Gallegos at the time of issue and they are being sold by his descendents. The town was the main port and trading partner with the Falklands. Being Argentine and a Spanish speaker the manager was obviously going to write on the envelope in Spanish and refer to the Islands as Malvinas. They are nothing to do with any collection stolen during the Falklands war.

    MY RESPONSE:

    Dear Mr.

    Thank you very much for your prompt reply and I draw you attention to my para.
    “I am confident that Spinks’s will have done its due diligence but I can say without fear of contradiction that as a retired Brit living in Uruguay NOBODY trusts the Ar

    Sep 10th, 2013 - 04:13 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Islander1

    Never heard of the Bank of Argentina as such - but perhaps it it did indeed exist. I suspect most business banking in Rio Gallegos in those days was done throught the Banco de Londres y Sud America ( think that was the name?correct me Think if you know?)

    Sep 10th, 2013 - 04:38 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
  • ChrisR

    MY RESPONSE: Contd.

    Dear Mr.

    Thank you very much for your prompt reply and I draw you attention to my para.
    “I am confident that Spinks’s will have done its due diligence but I can say without fear of contradiction that as a retired Brit living in Uruguay NOBODY trusts the Argentines.”

    The final words regarding Argentina are, regrettably, how it is. Here in Uruguay we have extreme problems with the Argentine Government and the banks saying or reporting things as if they are the truth when the reality is the diametric opposite.

    AND THEIR RESPONSE:

    Understood.

    Sep 11th, 2013 - 08:00 am - Link - Report abuse 0
  • Pete Bog

    @13 Chris R

    Nice one!

    It'll make Spink's think.

    Sep 13th, 2013 - 12:44 pm - Link - Report abuse 0

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