Noonans Offers PMG-certified Vintage Specimens from Palestine Currency Board

Palestine Currency Board Specimens are among more than 650 world banknotes certified by PMG® that are being offered in a Noonans Mayfair sale. Online bidding is already underway for the World Banknotes Auction, which is set to end on September 3, 2026.

One of the top highlights in the sale is a Palestine, Currency Board 1929 £5 Color Trial Specimen graded PMG 63 Choice Uncirculated (lot 749), with an estimate of £18,000 to £22,000 (about $25,000 to $30,000). This banknote is part of an eye-catching 1929 series that includes six denominations, with each denomination featuring its own intricate design and color scheme. The green Color Trial Specimens of these notes are even more vibrant than their attractive circulated counterparts, which were issued with a dominant color of dark orange. The £5 Specimen includes an image of The White Tower of Ramla, a 13th century Mamluk structure that is located in Ramla, Israel. This is the only example of a Color Trial Specimen for this catalog number in the PMG Population Report, along with more than 80 examples of the corresponding issued notes that are listed there.

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The auction also includes a Specimen from the same series: a Palestine 1929 £1 Color Trial Specimen graded PMG 63 Choice Uncirculated (lot 739), with an estimate of £15,000 to £20,000 (about $20,000 to $27,000). Interestingly, this Color Trial Specimen is orange while the issued notes were green, the opposite of the previously mentioned note. The £1 denomination features an image of The Dome of the Rock, which is a 7th century Islamic shrine in Jerusalem that is built over the sacred site from which the Prophet Muhammad is believed by Muslims to have ascended to heaven.

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A Specimen banknote is a non-circulating sample of official currency, which is printed to replicate real banknotes that are planned for circulation. These special banknotes are marked to prevent their use as legal tender. Since Specimens are printed in limited quantities and have limited distribution for non-circulating purposes, they are inherently rare compared to circulated notes. Color Trial Specimens are a subset of these notes used to test the visual appeal of colors of a banknote.

Other PMG-certified highlights in the auction include:

• a Qatar & Dubai, Currency Board ND (ca. 1960s) 25 Riyals graded PMG 30 Very Fine (lot 786), with an estimate of £8,000 to £12,000 (about $11,000 to $16,000)
• a United Arab Emirates, Currency Board ND (1976) 1,000 Dirhams graded PMG 64 Choice Uncirculated (lot 1086), with an estimate of £8,000 to £10,000 (about $11,000 to $13,600)
• a Palestine, Currency Board 1927-44 £1 Specimen graded PMG 62 Uncirculated NET (lot 741), with an estimate of £8,000 to £10,000 (about $11,000 to $13,600)
• a Pakistan, State Bank ND (1972) 100 Rupees graded PMG 66 Gem Uncirculated EPQ (lot 732), with an estimate of £6,000 to £8,000 (about $8,200 to $11,000)
• a Pakistan, State Bank ND (1972) 100 Rupees graded PMG 66 Gem Uncirculated EPQ (lot 733), with an estimate of £6,000 to £8,000 (about $8,200 to $11,000)
• a Bermuda 1927 1 Pound graded PMG 66 Gem Uncirculated EPQ (lot 83), with an estimate of £5,000 to £7,000 (about $6,800 to $9,500)
• a Lebanon 1945 100 Livres Specimen graded PMG 64 Choice Uncirculated (lot 588), with an estimate of £5,000 to £7,000 (about $6,800 to $9,500)
• a Lebanon, Banque de Syrie et du Liban 1945 100 Livres Specimen graded PMG 30 Very Fine (lot 587), with an estimate of £4,600 to £5,500 (about $6,200 to $7,500)

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