The best preserved banknote from the period of the Duchy of Warsaw that has found its way to our auctions.
A variety with a stamp on the reverse. Signature of commissioner Walenty Sobolewski.
Banknote without central deflections, which is the class of the offered piece. Trace but slightly deeper deflection of the upper left corner through the drawing and a deflected tip of the upper right corner. Three micro holes from clipping probably the entire file, typical of Duchy of Warsaw thalers, which were clipped together after withdrawal from circulation.
Particularly noteworthy is the full freshness of the printing, untouched by the slightest circulation, as evidenced not only by the exemplarily preserved dry stamps, but especially by the phenomenally preserved embossing of the printing visible on the reverse over the entire surface of the banknote.
A banknote of the absolute highest quality, intended for collectors who set their sights on the best pieces without compromise. The listing of a similarly preserved piece, but bent through the middle, in our AuctionXI with a final price of 53,550 PLN confirms that high listings bring exceptional pieces to the auction market, and that theoffered piece is the best one we have hosted at our auctions.
The highlight of the 13th Premium Auction!
The Duchy of Warsaw was created by the Treaty of Tilsit in 1807. By decree of the Saxon King and Warsaw Prince Frederick August of December 1, 1810, paper money was introduced - the cassation tickets of the Warsaw Principality. These were in the denominations of 1, 2 and 5 thalers. When paper money was exchanged for bullion money, a commission of 2.22% of the value was charged. Therefore, cash tickets did not enjoy the confidence of the population. In addition, a maximum of half the amount of taxes could be paid with paper money.
The layout was related to the circulating paper money issued at the time in the Kingdom of Saxony. These were one-sided rectangular prints characterized by a composition closed with an ornamental frame topped at the top with the Principality's coat of arms.
In 1812, the Duchy of Warsaw was occupied by the Russian army. Fleeing Warsaw, the Government of the Duchy took with it paper money, which was burned in Cracow. In 1815, the Central Liquidation Commission was established to collect paper thalers from the population. The cash tickets were stamped on the reverses with an elongated seal. However, their redemption never took place.
