 Russian-American Company. 50 Kopeck. Printed in black on thick, off-white parchment very minor surface granularity. Creamy white texture and a most natural appearance as proper. Like the 25 Kopeck previously (lot 1232) from the Boyd Collection, the surfaces are essentially very smooth on both sides. 64mm by 62mm. The top two corners are neatly and evenly clipped off as issued. As stated above, this allowed the basically illiterate native population to identify the note compared to a 50 Kopeck (that had all four corners clipped; the 25 Kopeck could not be raised by adding the corners back could they?). The common face (as catalogued in the Clifford Sale) with a company seal using a double headed Imperial Russian eagle within an oval frame, legend in Russian translated UNDER THE HIGH PATRONAGE OF HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY. The denomination in words below the seal; the letters thicker than those shown in Zander Fig.10b. The back (often considered the face by many) has a finely engraved oval protector with spiral details with the Russian legend translated NOTE IN AMERICA with the denomination '50 KOP' below. The serial number frame with 'No' is at the bottom of this oval, outlined white to allow the serial number to be written in. At the base is a shaded box with the authorized signature. No.13.902. The note is signed, but the signature is faintly seen at the right only. Ten examples are enumerated in the Zander Census with one (No.15553) being a forgery. Two are in museums and the two in the Riba/Kay/Smythe group were well worn notes. Reported by Uhl in his census as Private Collection.
Another exceptional grade example with bold eye appeal and great printing quality. Extremely Fine or better. Despite there being a hard crease at the left side about 10mm from the end, the note has the look of choice uncirculated. It seems hard to fathom that it went into circulation for more than an hour. The color of the parchment has a natural off-white and creamy hue that is quite lovely and there are no flaws at all except for some minor handling. The note is not quite as fine as the Clifford lot 348 which we feel was under graded at ''Extremely Fine.'' It really is academic in regards to technical grade as this might be the finest note of this type to cross the auction block in many years or decades. This particular example, like the 25 Kopeck above, has been in the Ford Collection since 1965 and is certainly high in the Condition Census for the type. It is yet another treasure that will be coveted by Western, obsolete currency and Russian currency collectors. A showpiece.
Ex F.C.C. Boyd Estate.
The forgery listed in the Zander census, 15553, was a concoction of unknown origin that unfortunately fooled Hank Clifford. However, he reported the piece to Mr. Ford, but not before two others had been duped (one being Lester Merkin). Mr. Ford wrote Mrs. Stefanelli to discuss the note's existence and if it could get compared with a Smithsonian example for a letter declaring it bogus. In his letter, Mr. Ford calls the note ''Mickey Mouse.'' In the plate photo used in Zander's monograph, he uses the deft term ''serial number lacks credibility'' (which it does) and the note's parchment is much to thin.
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