Royal Bank of Scotland, partially hand-painted obverse and reverse

Royal Bank of Scotland, partially hand-painted obverse and reverse composite essays for an unissued £5, 2 January 1967, serial number A000000, generic signatures, blue, white, and purple, obverse with stylised thistle design in underprint, Archibald Campbell, 3rd Duke of Argyll (Lord Ilay) at right, reverse dominated by a scene of Edinburgh Castle and the Old Town as seen from Salisbury Crags, the New Town and shipping on the Firth of Forth in the background, and the Fife hills beyond, stylised thistle at right, both essays mounted on grey card and attractively presented within a dark-green, leather-bound De La Rue presentation album, the album itself showing some wear and minor damage to spine, otherwise as made, the essays themselves peeling slightly from mounting and showing signs of foxing, otherwise a beautifully-executed design for a note that never saw the light of day, the reverse depiction of the Scottish capital fabulously detailed and classically wintry, entirely new to the market, and being seen by the collecting fraternity for the very first time, notable for its inclusion of Lord Ilay some 20 years before his familiar appearance on the modern Royal Bank series, marvellous! PMS and Pick Unlisted, PMS RB 64, Pick 328 for the note issued instead £500-£700.

Estimate:£500

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