Auction #51

THE UNISSUED WWII PALESTINE EMERGENCY NOTE - Proof note of £P1 regular design in BROWN dated 20 April 1939 printed on yellowish paper on both sides (215xl58mms) w/printer's alignment dots at each side. (ex Pikovsky Zincography Jerusalem). In 1941, due to WWII, supply lines from Britain to Palestine were unsafe giving rise to fear that the reserves of local notes and coins would be exhausted, making it impossible to respond to public demand. Preparations were made by the Palestine Government Printer for local printing of notes of the denomination of 50 and 100 mils in place of the silver coins of these values and for notes of denominations £P 1 and €P50. All the plates were engraved for this purpose by Emil Pikovsky Zincography in Jerusalem and later destroyed by the Government Printer, as the British Fleet succeeded in maintaining the supply. This Proof note of £P1 in Brown is the only example in private hands (the few others are in Bank of Israel Museum). (Dabbah, Hebrew version 319 for similar); UNC Unique SHOW PIECE