Guide to the Guide to Collections containing currency-related items in the National Library of Australia
MST 2
National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record
Created: June 2016
Collection Summary
- Title
- Collections containing paper currency-related items in the National Library of Australia
- Date Range
- 18th - 20th century
- Collection Number
- MST 2
- Extent
- 28 collections
- Language of Materials
- English
- Repository
- National Library of Australia
- Sponsor
- The digitisation of the Library’s Currency Collection was made possible by the generous financial support of donors to the Banknotes and Currency Preservation Appeal (2015). The Library gratefully acknowledges this support.
Introduction
Purpose
The purpose of this guide is to provide researchers with an overview of and links to the National Library of Australia’s holdings of currency related items.
Overview
The National Library of Australia holds a significant group of collections of currency-related items acquired from different sources over many years. As a whole, these collections offer notophilists and other researchers a valuable window into the commercial and banking life of Australia from early colonial times to the late 20century decimal era.
A variety of formats are represented, including colonial and early Commonwealth currency, unofficial currency, private banknotes, promissory and merchants’ notes and foreign currency. The earliest is a French Revolutionary assignat issued in 1793 and the most significant items held are the first two Commonwealth pound banknotes ever issued, in 1910 and 1913.
Three main sources comprise the bulk of the Library’s acquisitions: official currency acquired from the official note issuing authority i.e. the Reserve Bank of Australia (and its predecessors) and two early Sydney collectors, Percy J Marks and John A Ferguson, who donated a large proportion of the remainder.
Historical Context
Early colonists in New South Wales and Van Diemen’s Land were faced with a chronic scarcity of both coinage and paper money, exacerbated by geographic isolation and no provision having been made for a currency medium. Officially, the currency in New South Wales was sterling in the form of banknotes issued by the Bank of England. But gradually the chronic shortage of official currency was supplemented by locally produced Commissariat and Police Fund notes and treasury bills.
Alongside these, an unregulated system of promissory notes evolved, issued by anyone with the financial means to cover the note, or a reputation, and occasionally neither. This system facilitated trade until local private banks were well-established and began issuing their own banknotes.
These ephemeral documents illustrate a rich social history, especially in the large number of early promissory and merchants’ notes. One example is MS 1713, Early Tasmanian money, comprising nine promissory notes from various Hobart merchants, some in Spanish dollars, dating from 1823-1824 illustrating how commerce was conducted in an emerging economy with no official local currency and a shortage of coin.
Glossary
For the purposes of this finding aid the following definitions were used:
Currency: any paper item accepted as payment for goods and services and payment of debts
Specimen: an original note as used in the market, distributed to banks to be used only for identification of an authentic note
Promissory note: a private bill worded as 'I promise to pay', not necessarily payable on demand and with no definitive denomination, drawn on the issuer, his agent or his bank
Currency note: a special type of promissory note issued by a person or a firm (not a bank) with a fixed value printed on the note
Bill of exchange: a form of draft drawn in 'sets' (original, duplicate or second, and third). Each drawn for same amount but only one of the set is paid
'IOU': an informal document acknowledging debt. Different from a promissory note in that it doesn’t specify repayment terms so is not suitable for circulation
Shinplaster: a promissory note from an individual or business, promising to pay a stated amount on demand
Calabash: a promissory note printed and issued by a person or company payable on demand through a bank
Viewing our holdings
Most of these items are available for viewing in our Special Collections Reading Room. In order to request items you will need to be registered as a reader, which can be done online. Items need to be requested online via the Library's catalogue prior to your visit.
If you are unable to visit the Library in person, you can access information about our holdings via the Library's catalogue. Following is a list of all of the Library’s currency holdings. Each entry is linked to the individual catalogue record which provides a description of the holding and a link to finding aids and digitised images, where available.
Contacting us
Have you uncovered new information relating to any of our collections? If so, we would like to hear from you.
You can contact us via our Ask a Librarian service.
Item Descriptions
Collection 1. MS 51 - Papers of Sir Edmund Barton, 1827-1940
Description
This collection includes twenty-seven promissory notes issued in New South Wales between 1833-1871
Link to collection material
Link to the catalogue record and from there to the finding aid for the collection.
Collection 2. MS 111 - Promissory notes collection, 1819
Description
Two Tasmanian promissory notes from August 1819
Link to collection material
Link to the catalogue record for the collection.
Collection 3. MS 119 - Copper printing plates and printer’s proofs for 16 promissory notes issued by Lachlan and Waterloo Mills Co. afterwards the Waterloo Warehouse, 1822-1833
Link to collection material
Link to the catalogue record and from there to the finding aid for the collection.
Collection 4. MS 220 - Aviation records, 1928-1953
Description
Pound note signed by Kingsford Smith and Air Vice-Marshall, Sir Sefton Brancher. It was offered as payment for the Southern Cross plane.
Link to collection material
Link to the catalogue record for the collection.
Collection 5. MS 270 - Australian Currency Collection, 1849-1900
Description
City Bank of Sydney specimen notes dating from 1893 – 1900, two cheques of Derwent Bank, Tasmania 1828-1830, one German mark note (undated), Bank of Australia lottery ticket issued Jan 1849.
Link to collection material
Link to the catalogue record and from there to the finding aid for the collection.
Collection 6. MS 526 - South African Government one pound note and letter from Prime Minister Andrew Fisher to the Hon. Charles McDonald, 6 September 1911
Link to collection material
Link to the catalogue record for the collection.
Collection 7. MS 1139 - 19th century currency items, ca 1850-1895
Description
19th century currency items including Sydney merchants' promissory notes, Fijian treasury notes and money issued in the ‘New Australia’ colony, Paraguay, 1895.
Link to collection material
Link to the catalogue record and from there to the finding aid for the collection.
Collection 8. MS 1537 - Papers of Percy J. Marks, ca. 1793-1941
Description
This collection includes an album of currency-related items, 1793-1936, comprising Sydney and Tasmanian promissory notes, Fijian Treasury banknotes, colonial banknotes and French revolutionary currency.
Link to collection material
Link to the catalogue record and from there to the finding aid for the collection.
Collection 9. MS 1602 - Bank of Australia lottery notes, 19 October 1848
Description
Two Bank of Australia lottery notes dated 19 October 1848, drawn on 1 January 1849
Link to collection material
Link to the catalogue record for the collection.
Collection 10. MS 1713 - Early Tasmanian promissory notes, 1823-1824
Link to collection material
Link to the catalogue record and from there to the finding aid for the collection.
Collection 11. MS 1744 - Treasury second bill of exchange payable at thirty days to Deputy Assistant Commissary General Woolrabe, signed by A. Moodie at Hobart Town, 23 December 1835
Link to collection material
Link to the catalogue record for the collection.
Collection 12. MS 3200 - Papers of Sir John Alexander Ferguson, 1900-1969
Description
This collection includes early New South Wales promissory notes, 1812-1814
Link to collection material
Link to the catalogue record and from there to the finding aid for the collection.
Collection 13. MS 3205 - Letters, documents and newspaper clippings relating to William Lane and the New Australia colony, 1800s-1900s
Link to collection material
Link to the catalogue record and from there to the finding aid for the whole collection.
Collection 14. MS 3337 - Sir John Ferguson collection of papers of John Fawkner, 1810-1869
Description
One bill of exchange issued in 1860 to John Fawkner.
Please note: items in this collection have not yet been digitised.
Link to collection material
Link to the catalogue record for the collection.
Collection 15. MS 3432 - Correspondence, 1831-1868
Description
Financial correspondence from Hunter Valley firm Potts, Baxter, Brown and Allerton
Please note: this collection is partially digitised and has not yet been individually described
Link to collection material
Link to the catalogue record for the collection.
Collection 16. MS 3603 - Papers of Thomas Barker, 1839-1881
Please note
This collection is not digitised and has not yet been individually described.
Link to collection material
Link to the catalogue record for the collection.
Collection 17. MS 3611 - Collection of promissory notes from remote areas of Australia, 1863-1925
Description
56 promissory notes and IOUs from remote parts of Australia, mostly from storekeepers, hotel keepers and commission agents in country areas. Mostly from 1922.
Link to collection material
Link to the catalogue record and from there to the finding aid for the collection.
Collection 18. MS 3622 - Album of paper currency items, ca 1810-1930
Description
Paper currency items, mostly 19th century, including Sydney and Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmanian) merchants' promissory notes, currency from Levuka and Noumea and Bank of Australasia bills together with correspondence from merchants W S Weigh and A Scott.
Link to collection material
Link to the catalogue record and from there to the finding aid for the collection.
Collection 19. MS 3926 - Papers of William McMahon, 1949-1987
Description
This collection includes letters and presentation decimal banknotes for 1966 and 1967, given to William McMahon in his position as Federal Treasurer.
Link to collection material
Link to the catalogue record for the collection.
Collection 20. MS 4262 - Blank cheque form headed "To the manager of the New Zealand Banking Compy., Kororarika", 184[-]
Link to collection material
Link to the catalogue record for the collection.
Collection 21. MS 4820 - Specimen Australian banknotes issued by the Commonwealth of Australia Treasury and the Reserve Bank of Australia, 1914-1996
Link to collection material
Link to the catalogue record and from there to the finding aid for the collection.
Collection 22. MS 4821 - Specimen banknotes issued by the Central Bank of Ceylon, 1951-1968
Link to collection material
Link to the catalogue record and from there to the finding aid for the collection.
Collection 23. MS 5013 - Bank notes, 1914-1918
Description
A small collection of First World War low denomination banknotes from Belgium, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Egypt and an early banknote from the United States of America.
Link to collection material
Link to the catalogue record and from there to the finding aid for the collection.
Collection 24. MS 6060 - Cheque for 15 pounds sterling, 28 December 1868
Description
Cheque signed by Charles Baudinet in favour of Thomas W. Smith; Commercial Bank, Hobart Town
Link to collection material
Link to the catalogue record for the collection.
Collection 25. MS 7746 - Prospectus, notices, town-lots, land purchases and other documents, 1794-1961
Description
Early Australian and New Zealand documents ca. 1840-1897 including promissory notes, bills of exchange and a proof of the first pound note issued by the Union Bank of Australia.
Please note: items in this collection have not yet been digitised.
Link to collection material
Link to the catalogue record and from there to the finding aid for the collection.
Collection 26. MS 8808 - Papers relating to the New Australia Colony, Paraguay, 1898-1926
Description
Currency items from Colonia Cosme, an offshoot of New Australia.
Link to collection material
Link to the catalogue record for the collection.
Collection 27. MS 9865 - Papers of Samuel Deane Gordon, 1857-1882
Description
Contains promissory notes, legal and financial documents, addressed to Gordon and other trustees of The Empire newspaper, 1857-1859. The correspondents include Henry Parkes. Also a loan document to the government of Fiji (1872-1873).
Link to collection material
Link to the catalogue record and from there to the finding aid for the collection.
Collection 28. MS 10145 - Early Commonwealth currency, 1910-1913
Description
Four superscribed banknotes including the first two Australian pound notes.
Link to collection material
Link to the catalogue record for the collection.