Two rare 10-rupee banknotes from 1918, recovered from the wreckage of the SS Shirala, are set to be auctioned in London next Wednesday. The Noonans Mayfair auction house will feature these notes in their World Banknotes sale, with an estimated value between GBP 2,000 and 2,600.
The SS Shirala, en route from Bombay to London, was sunk by a German U-boat on July 2, 1918. Among its cargo were blocks of these banknotes dated May 25, 1918, along with various provisions. Thomasina Smith, Worldwide Head of Numismatics at Noonans, noted, “Whole blocks of these notes, along with lots of provisions ranging from marmalade to ammunition, were on their way to Bombay from London when the boat was sunk by a German U-Boat.”
Many of the notes floated ashore, including unsigned 5 and 10-rupee notes and signed 1-rupee notes, most of which were recovered and destroyed by authorities, with new ones printed to replace them. However, a few survived in private hands. Smith mentioned, “These are in very good condition – they must have been in the middle of a tightly bound bundle, so didn’t make contact with the sea. It’s also wonderful that they bear consecutive serial numbers.”
Besides, the auction will feature other notable items, including a rare 100-rupee note from the Government of India under British colonial rule, estimated to fetch between GBP 4,400 and 5,000. This note, signed and stamped from Calcutta and dated between 1917 and 1930, displays 100 rupees spelled out in different Indian languages, including Hindi and Bengali.
Additionally, a ‘Reserve Bank of India, Persian Gulf Issue’, 5-rupee note featuring the iconic Ashoka emblem and dated 1957-62, is expected to attract bids between GBP 2,200 and 2,800.
