Series B SPECIMENS

A Forum for Discussion on B Series notes
Post Reply
billyf1
Fine
Fine
Posts: 30
Joined: 10 Aug 2018 00:30

Series B SPECIMENS

Post by billyf1 »

Always like to share my acquisitions of rare notes.

Below is the Series B set that I've recently obtained. These were exceptionally hard to get in UNC condition (the £50 in particular).
5f.jpg
5f.jpg (45.43 KiB) Viewed 3722 times
5r.jpg
5r.jpg (36.09 KiB) Viewed 3722 times
10f.jpg
10f.jpg (43.2 KiB) Viewed 3722 times
10r.jpg
10r.jpg (44.08 KiB) Viewed 3722 times
20f.jpg
20f.jpg (47.95 KiB) Viewed 3722 times
20r.jpg
20r.jpg (48.74 KiB) Viewed 3722 times
50f.jpg
50f.jpg (54.2 KiB) Viewed 3722 times
50r.jpg
50r.jpg (43.57 KiB) Viewed 3722 times
Last edited by billyf1 on 30 Jul 2020 22:28, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Mac
Taoiseach • Admin
Taoiseach • Admin
Posts: 1916
Joined: 23 Jan 2015 15:05

Re: Series B SPECIMENS

Post by Mac »

That's a nice set.
£20 was always my favourite of this series.

These Specimen notes are undervalued when their rarity is considered.
User avatar
ThePloughman
UNC
UNC
Posts: 276
Joined: 04 Nov 2016 16:37

Re: Series B SPECIMENS

Post by ThePloughman »

£5 is my favorite - I was a kid back in Ireland when these came out first.
User avatar
DOC
UNC
UNC
Posts: 1105
Joined: 26 Jan 2015 18:15

Re: Series B SPECIMENS

Post by DOC »

Here is an example of the £1 specimen note.
Attachments
Queen Madb 1 Pound Specimen ca. 1982 O'Cofaigh Doyle.jpg
Queen Madb 1 Pound Specimen ca. 1982 O'Cofaigh Doyle.jpg (158.96 KiB) Viewed 17139 times
Queen Madb 1 Pound Specimen ca. 1982 O'Cofaigh Doyle Reverse.jpg
Queen Madb 1 Pound Specimen ca. 1982 O'Cofaigh Doyle Reverse.jpg (145.96 KiB) Viewed 17139 times
billyf1
Fine
Fine
Posts: 30
Joined: 10 Aug 2018 00:30

Re: Series B SPECIMENS

Post by billyf1 »

So, my understanding is that the following prefixes on SPECIMENS exist (from PMI):

£1 BBB, AAA, EEE
£5 AAA* (Whitaker/Murray) + an AAA (Murray/O'Murchu), LLL
£10 AAA, EEE
£20 EEE* (Murray/O'Cofaigh) + EEE (O'Cofaigh/Doyle)
£50 KKK

*I haven't seen these notes before, has anyone else? I see no mention of £1 AAA in Mac's book, either. It'd be interesting to see them.

Also, Pam West has a Series B £5 Specimen (Murray / O'Cofaigh) for sale, with a serial number of FFF 050097 - This has me intrigued as to how it can exist. Perhaps someone can shed some light on this?

Thanks

Bill
User avatar
DOC
UNC
UNC
Posts: 1105
Joined: 26 Jan 2015 18:15

Re: Series B SPECIMENS

Post by DOC »

I haven't seen an AAA £1 Specimen or a £5 Specimen with the Whitaker/Murray signature.

Here is a scan of a £20 EEE Specimen with the Murray/O'Cofaigh signature combination.
Attachments
Yeats 20 Pounds Specimen ca. 1980 Murray O'Cofaigh.jpg
Yeats 20 Pounds Specimen ca. 1980 Murray O'Cofaigh.jpg (94.22 KiB) Viewed 16145 times
User avatar
Mac
Taoiseach • Admin
Taoiseach • Admin
Posts: 1916
Joined: 23 Jan 2015 15:05

Re: Series B SPECIMENS

Post by Mac »

The choice of which letter was used on Specimens and replacement notes of an denomination depended, initially, on the base letter in use for the denomination at the time.
This convention was then departed from later in the B Series notes when replacement note series were continued until they reached 999999 - at that point the base letter in use was adopted for specimens.
£1 notes illustrate this, with the usage of BBB, then DDD, then GGG. Replacement notes changed to DDD when the base letter was changed to _ _ D; then changed to G when the base letter was changed to _ _ G. Practice was then changed to using up existing series, and Replacements picked up with BBB when GGG was completed.

This partially explains the FFF 050097 marked Specimen. The date occurs around the changeover of the base letter from _ _ A to _ _ F.
The number on the note would also suggest that there are around 50,000 Replacements marked as Specimens, or left as replacements bearing the same date. This is interesting, and suggests that a decision to change the replacement letter to FFF was reversed after some notes were printed, and that some of them were used up as Specimens.

All of the prefix information is in my 1999 book on Irish notes.

There is a story here on the 1981 FFF fiver, and we'll have to investigate it.
The Central Bank was always full of surprises, and previously unknown replacement dates have turned up.
If 50,000 FFF replacements dated in 1981 were put into circulation, they would have been noticed by the collector community, which was far more active then than it is currently.

It is important to note that replacement notes were not necessarily put into circulation on their date of issue, generally they lagged behind and could have entered circulation at any time after their date.
User avatar
Mac
Taoiseach • Admin
Taoiseach • Admin
Posts: 1916
Joined: 23 Jan 2015 15:05

Re: Series B SPECIMENS

Post by Mac »

E was the base letter for the £1 note in 1982, hence the Specimen with prefix EEE.
I have not seen a Specimen AAA for the £1 note. This might be a typo - need to see a scan or an example of a note.

L is an interesting prefix, as it was scattered, being used on £10 notes, and on £20 notes. I speculate that it might have also been the intended base letter for the £100 note. - I'd have to look in-depth to try and work out why it was used on the 1983 £5 specimen.
Have a look at the book, you might be able to work it out from there, as the sequences are listed on pages 121-125.
The prefixing system of £5 notes is also scattered, and was very complicated to record when we were doing it!

The choice of letters for the £10 specimens does not fit with other denominations.
CCC and HHH would have been expected, AAA and EEE were used! Your guess is as good as mine here.
billyf1
Fine
Fine
Posts: 30
Joined: 10 Aug 2018 00:30

Re: Series B SPECIMENS

Post by billyf1 »

Mac wrote: 11 Nov 2019 23:36 E was the base letter for the £1 note in 1982, hence the Specimen with prefix EEE.
I have not seen a Specimen AAA for the £1 note. This might be a typo - need to see a scan or an example of a note.

L is an interesting prefix, as it was scattered, being used on £10 notes, and on £20 notes. I speculate that it might have also been the intended base letter for the £100 note. - I'd have to look in-depth to try and work out why it was used on the 1983 £5 specimen.
Have a look at the book, you might be able to work it out from there, as the sequences are listed on pages 121-125.
The prefixing system of £5 notes is also scattered, and was very complicated to record when we were doing it!

The choice of letters for the £10 specimens does not fit with other denominations.
CCC and HHH would have been expected, AAA and EEE were used! Your guess is as good as mine here.
Wow, Mac. Very interesting read. I guess I'm off to buy your book :D

It is this in-depth knowledge that really intrigues me, Mac, and DOC.

Thanks a million for your reply.
User avatar
Mac
Taoiseach • Admin
Taoiseach • Admin
Posts: 1916
Joined: 23 Jan 2015 15:05

Re: Series B SPECIMENS

Post by Mac »

billyf1 wrote: 12 Nov 2019 22:33 I guess I'm off to buy your book
You can probably find it in a library.
Alternatively, you can get one from me :D
Post Reply