By way of comparison, I sold a Bank of Canada $5 1935 note
Serial #000001 on eBay about five years ago. It sold for US$3500 and was purchased by an international auction house in Singapore. It had apparently been kept as a "pocket piece" as it was only in F-VF condition. It only received one bid though; it might have received more bids if I hadn't carelessly listed it in the China paper money section rather than the Bank of Canada section! I reported this Serial #000001 note in the Bank of Canada section of this Forum last year (I have reproduced my earlier description and scan below).
I would personally rate the $1 1935 #0000002 Unc note with the accompanying letter at $5000+ and an even higher price is quite conceivable in today's vibrant global market. In my opinion, since it is the first denomination (i.e., the $1) in the very first series of Bank of Canada notes and since it carries the portrait of the reigning Monarch (King George V), it would have
tremendous international appeal.I first reported the existence of this #000001 (Plate D) note in the CPM Newsletter eleven years ago (see December 1995 issue, page 109). I sold it on eBay about five years later but I blundered badly as I carelessly listed it in the CHINA paper money category -- I had been listing several lots of Chinese currency and forgot to change the listing category when I got to this $5 1935 note(!). Fortunately, I had protected the note with a fairly high (for the time) starting bid of US$3500. This note was bid on and purchased by a Singapore dealer who had evidently seen it in the Chinese category (the item received only one single bid!). I never found out what happened to this rare note afterwards. Is anyone aware of where it is now?
The note was only in F-VF condition with several cross-folds and a rusty paper clip mark at the top left. I suspect that it was presented to a VIP at the time of issue and that he/she kept it as a "conversation piece". I did retain a photocopy of the note and I colored in the tint panel at the bottom. I have attached an image of this colored photocopy. The Bank of Canada Currency Museum had $5 1935 #A000001 (Plate Letter B) on display at one time and it may still be on display.
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« Last Edit: January 31, 2007, 07:17:55 am by Ottawa »
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" Buy the very best notes that you can afford and keep them for at least 10 years. " (Richard D. Lockwood, private communication, 1978).