Two Pound The Royal Bank of Australia 1849

Australian Pre-Federation Banknotes.                  

Denomination: Two Pound.
Domicile.  Hobart Town.
Year of Issue:  1849.
Type of Banknotes. B/W Issued Specimen.  
Grade:  Very Fine+.      
Recommended Retail. $11,500. Source Renniks 30^th edition 2021.                              

The Royal Bank of Australia (Boyd’s). Circa 1848.

These banknotes were issued on The Royal Bank of Australia in 1848-1850. .An estimated date can be given, of 1848 which is correct. These are B/W Specimens ,Described as sight notes, numbered not dated, printed on watermark paper this was an interest-bearing note promising to pay the bearer the value of each banknote in pounds Sterling with interest on the day of transference. The bank was commenced by Benjamin Boyd in 1847. Benjamin created his wealth as a major investor in whaling at Albany Western Australia .A Pastalorist with major holdings in the Monaro district of New South Wales ,having set his Australian headquarters at Two-Fold Bay in the 1840’s. As a point for exportation, for produce, timber and the like.

The banknotes have a denomination of Thirty Shillings(30/-), Two Pound & Ten Pound. Issued in Hobart Town, Launceston & Adelaide, respectively .Very few banknotes have survived as Specimen/Issue banknotes, these are some of the very few that have survived of The Royal Bank (Boyd’s)  circa 1848-1850. The Royal Bank of Australia Boyd’s) failed in 1850. Branches of issue included Melbourne and Sydney, Hobart Town, and Launceston & Two-Fold Bay. The bank was operating for a period of 2 years, within major Australian regional cities & towns.

The Royal Bank of Australia (Boyd’s) was one of the first banks to be jointly privately owned in Australia. Although the bank failed after two years (1848-1850) .It was the only bank responsible for issuing half denominations from five shilling (5/-) thirty shilling (30/-) and two pound, along with traditional denominations of One Pound ,Five, Ten, Twenty & Fifty Pound. All issues were Black and White Uniface Specimens.

The 30shillings, and Two Pounds are of significant interest to any collector as Boyd’s were the only bank in the Australian Pre-Federation to issue these denominations, The Right Note are the only dealer to offer these banknotes for sale over the last generation.

We offered as a set for sale in 2013 a full set of Two Shillings 2/- Domicile: Hobart Town circa: 1848, Thirty Shillings 30/- Domicile: Hobart Town. Circa: 1848. Domicile:  Two Pound. Domicile :Adelaide. Circa: 1848., & Ten Pound. Domicile: Launceston. Circa: 1848. A very rare collection of Pre-Federation banknotes. The vendor has placed this unique collection for sale in 2023.

After the failure of his bank Benjamin Boyd disappeared into the pages of history.