The rare 100 Livres from Lebanon, overprinted LIBAN 1939

The Live Auction - October 2017 offers a nice selection of Lebanon and Syrian Banknotes. You will notice in particular a serie of Specimen Notes (issuances between 1919 and 1939).

Lot 4160455 : 50 Livres Syriennes 1920, Specimen

We will today focus on the 100 Livres Syriennes Notes, dated from 01 february 1935, and issued by the "Banque de Syrie et du Grand-Liban". This Notes have been printed by « Bradbury, Wilkinson and Co ». They seem to have been issued gradually without any overprint, then with a transversal green line (/), with two orange lines (//) and with a pink overprint (V).

This Note was selected to look like the 100 Livres Syriennes Note issued by the Banque de Syrie in 1920 (P.19).  On the front, we can see the Ottoman Bank in Beyrouth. On the Bank the city of Antioch is represented. Only the main coulour (green to violet) and the Bank denomination (« Banque de Syrie et du Grand-Liban » instead of « Banque de Syrie ») have been modified. Surprisingly, the currency was printed as in 1920 « livres syriennes », even if it was obsolete from 1925.

Lot 4160456 : 100 Livres Syriennes 1920 , Specimen

So this 100 Livres Bills from 1935 have been printed for Lebanon "LIBAN" (P.12F) and for Syria "SYRIE" (P.38), as mentioned in black at the front-top of the Note.

Lot 4160457 : 100 Livres Syriennes 1935, Liban, Specimen

Lot 4160458 : 100 Livres Syriennes 1935, Syrie, Specimen

However, they were put on circulation at the end of 1939. This is why another black overprint was added : SYRIE 1939 (P.39F) or LIBAN 1939 (P.14).

Lot 4160459 : 100 Livres Syriennes, SYRIE 1939

Lot 4160461 : 100 Livres Syriennes, LIBAN 1939

We know the "SYRIE 1939" overprint is far more commun than the "LIBAN 1939" one.

From the list established by Mister Abdo Ayoub during almost 30 years (see bellow), we can notice that only 5 Lebanon Notes with the overprint LIBAN 1939 have been found, against 379 with the overprint SYRIE 1939.
 

"BSNR" means "Billet Spécimen Non Remboursable".

Therefore, the Note we offer in this Live Auction is very rare. Only three Notes, with this kind of overprints, have been listed. The condition is moreover VF to XF. This Note presents minor signs of circulation and has retained the vivacity of its original colors.
Its rarity and its beauty make of this exceptional Note a piece worthy of the most beautiful collections !

Lot 4160461 : 100 Livres Syriennes, LIBAN 1939 - P.14a, VF to XF
20,000 € / 40,000 €