Rare Asian Banknotes Certified by PMG Offered in Trigometric Auction

A small-denomination note could realize an impressive amount as nearly 300 lots certified by PMG® are offered in a Trigometric sale focused on rarities from Southeast Asia. Online bidding is already underway for Trigometric's June 2026 Auction, which is set to end on June 6, 2026.

A top highlight in the sale is a Sarawak, Government Treasury 1919 10 Cents graded PMG 55 About Uncirculated (lot 1461), which has an estimate of RM100,000 (about $25,000). A historically important note for Sarawak paper money collectors, these small-denomination notes were heavily circulated and intended for everyday use because of a coin shortage at the time in British Borneo. Surviving examples are a rarity today, especially in this condition. This example is the third-highest recorded grade for this particular catalog number in the PMG Population Report, which contains 58 examples as of mid-May 2026.

Other PMG-certified notes in the sale include:

• a Malaya 1942; ND (1945) 50 Dollars Color Trial Specimen pedigreed to The Frank Goon Reference Collection and graded PMG 64 Choice Uncirculated EPQ (lot 1485), which has an estimate of RM58,000 to RM120,000 (about $15,000 to $30,000)
• a Straits Settlements ND (ca. 1860s) 50 Dollars - Singapore "Front Proof" pedigreed to The Frank Goon Reference Collection and graded PMG 64 Choice Uncirculated (lot 1471), which has an estimate of RM40,000 to RM80,000 (about $10,000 to $20,000)
• a group of two Singapore, Board of Commissioners of Currency ND (1970) 5 Dollars with consecutive serial numbers graded PMG 64 Choice Uncirculated EPQ (lot 1509), which has an estimate of RM24,000 to RM30,000 (about $6,000 to $7,500)
• a Malaysia, Bank Negara ND (1976-81) 1,000 Ringgit graded PMG 35 Choice Very Fine (lot 1292), which has an estimate of RM15,000 to RM30,000 (about $4,000 to $7,500)
• a Malaysia, Bank Negara ND (1981) 100 Ringgit "Replacement" graded PMG 64 Choice Uncirculated (lot 1304), which has an estimate of RM10,000 to RM15,000 (about $2,500 to $4,000)
• a Malaysia, Bank Negara ND (1996-99) 2 Ringgit "Specimen" graded PMG 66 Gem Uncirculated EPQ (lot 1260), which has an estimate of RM6,000 to RM10,000 (about $1,500 to $2,500)
• a Malaysia, Bank Negara ND (1983-84) 1,000 Ringgit graded PMG 45 Choice Extremely Fine EPQ (lot 1314), which has an estimate of RM7,500 to RM9,000 (about $1,900 to $2,300)

All estimates are provided by the auction house. The $ symbol represents US Dollars.