PMG-certified Ceylon Rarities Take Center Stage in Stack's Bowers Galleries Auction

More than 500 world banknotes that are certified by PMG® are being offered in a sale presented by Stack's Bowers Galleries. Online bidding is already underway for the Spring 2026 Maastricht Showcase Auction - Session 2 - World Paper Money, which concludes on May 7, 2026.

The top PMG-graded highlight in the auction is a Ceylon / British Administration 1947 10,000 Rupees Specimen graded PMG 58 Choice About Uncirculated (lot 51113), with an estimate of $50,000 to $100,000. Printed by the India Security Press, this high-denomination rarity features the portrait of King George VI, who ruled the United Kingdom and its colonies from 1936 until his death in 1952. Rarely seen at auction, this catalog number has never been offered by Stack's Bowers and to date, this is the sole example of any Ceylon 10,000 Rupees in the PMG Population Report.

Other PMG-certified notes in the auction include:

• a Panama, Banco Central de Emision 1941 20 Balboas graded PMG 30 Very Fine EPQ (lot 51438), with an estimate of $30,000 to $40,000
• a Ceylon / British Administration 1885-1926 50 Rupees Specimen graded PMG 20 Very Fine (lot 51101), with an estimate of $20,000 to $30,000
• a Ceylon / British Administration 1899-1918 1,000 Rupees Specimen graded PMG 25 Very Fine (lot 51098), with an estimate of $20,000 to $30,000
• a Ceylon / British Administration 1929-34 1,000 Rupees Specimen graded PMG 35 Choice Very Fine NET (lot 51105), with an estimate of $20,000 to $30,000
• a Western Samoa / New Zealand Administration 1920-1951 £5 graded PMG 30 Very Fine (lot 51575), with an estimate of $20,000 to $30,000
• a French Indo-China 1875 100 Dollars = 100 Piastres Specimen graded PMG 50 About Uncirculated (lot 51195), with an estimate of $15,000 to $25,000
• a French Indo-China 1905-07 5 Piastres Proof graded PMG 64 Choice Uncirculated (lot 51211), with an estimate of $15,000 to $25,000
• a Venezuela, Estado Guayana 1879 40 Bolivares = 8 Venezolanos graded PMG 12 Very Fine (lot 51559), with an estimate of $15,000 to $20,000
• a Panama, Banco Central de Emision 1941 10 Balboas graded PMG 35 Choice Very Fine (lot 51437), with an estimate of $15,000 to $20,000
• a Paraguay, Banco de Comercio 1886 5 Pesos graded PMG 10 Very Good (lot 51439), with an estimate of $12,000 to $15,000

Estimates are provided by the auction house.