Foreword



Welcome to Mavin's inaugural Auction of Coins, Banknotes and Postcards.

Those of you who have visited our Website at www.mavininternational.com will already know something about us. Mavin is the product of five serious collectors of coins, banknotes, postcards and related things coming together to provide professional and expert value-added services to collectors, both in Singapore and internationally.

We suppose it is inevitable that Mavin would hold regular auctions. Our own collecting experience tells us that auctions are the most transparent way of determining the fair value of collectibles offered for sale. We have, on our part, enjoyed attending and bidding at auctions for many years. To this end, we have given particular emphasis to seeing that our lots are accurately graded.

For this auction, we are pleased to be able to offer over 600 items: admittedly a modest start. Though the emphasis is on Asian material, particularly of the Far East, there is, we hope, a wide enough selection to cater to collectors and investors of all levels.

Collectors of Straits Settlements, Sarawak and British North Borneo coins will find an excellent selection. We hope we are not being immodest when we say that this is one of the finest that has been assembled in an international auction for a number of years. Classic rarities include the Pattern One Third Cent Mule and a Straits Settlements 1926 dollar. For token specialists, there are plantation tokens from both British and Netherlands Borneo. New collectors will also find many interesting items starting at very modest prices.

Devotees of modern Singapore coins, especially the Almanac series, may wish to check out the 2002 Year of the Horse proof coins, all with certificate serial numbers 88.

For collectors of Chinese coins, there is a small but quality selection, including a spectacular Peiyang silver tael, a Sinkiang Kashgar silver tael with crescent moons and stars around the dragon, believed to be only the second discovered so far, and an unusual resistance coin issued in the Second World War.

We have not neglected collectors of other world coins.There is a good date range of British Trade Dollars, including the extremely rare 1935B, as well as coins from diverse countries such as Ceylon, Cyprus, Fiji, India, Monaco, Mauritius, and even Transylvania.

Highlights of the banknotes session include the Sarawak $50 dated 1929, Malaya and British Borneo $1,000, superb New Zealand ₤50s, including a Wilson prefix 1U, and a Specimen International Banking Corporation $1 from the Harbin branch. There are special serial number banknotes from Singapore, India, Indonesia and Thailand. Other interesting items include a Chinese revolutionary banknote with Dr Sun Yat Sen's signature, possibly the third last Malaysia 1,000 ringgit note issued and the famous "sex" note from the Seychelles.

For the ultimate banknote collector or investor, we are pleased to be able to offer two unique uncut sheets of Singapore $10,000 notes with certificates of authenticity. The Board of Commissioners of Currency, Singapore has given the assurance that these are the only uncut sheets of their kind in existence.

Our postcard session feature some 96 lots from old Malaya and Singapore, including some interesting cards of the Agri-Horticultural Show, the Opening of the Kallang River Reservoir and the Royal Island Golf Club, now the Singapore Island Country Club. Collectors of used cards may wish to check out the very early card with a Queen Victoria stamp and postmark.

Last, but not least, other interesting items include early banking documents, a very rare medal awarded to the late Governor of Sarawak and a greeting card signed by Tunku Abdul Raman Putra.

Finally, we take this opportunity to express our sincere thanks to all who have contributed to the auction and the making of this catalogue, including our many consignors who have placed their faith in us.