City Bank of Sydney - Banknotes
The City Bank of Sydney Limited commenced business on 9 February, 1863 on the corner of King and George Streets in Sydney.
The financial strength of the bank was particularly evident during 1893 when it was one of only a handful of Australian banking institutions which did not suspend trading. With the bank's notes backed by New South Wales government legislation, their issue was instrumental in overcoming stagnant trade and commerce.
In 1911, the City Bank of Sydney Limited was one of 16 banks who supplied blank note forms to the Australian Government. These notes were superscribed as redeemable in gold and issued as the first Commonwealth notes.
The bank merged with the reconstituted Australian Joint Stock Bank in 1916, by then known as the Australian Bank of Commerce Limited, eventually to be absorbed by the Bank of New South Wales in 1931 - now part of the Westpac Banking Group Limited.
Prominent numismatic collector, Sir William Dixson, was a Chairman of Directors of the City Bank of Sydney Limited. The wide ranging contacts he established through his work with the bank greatly assisted in the compilation of a comprehensive collection of early Australian coins, notes and tokens. The collection is now housed in the Mitchell Library in Sydney.
City Bank of Sydney - 1869
1, 5, 10, 20, 50 pounds notes were produced.
City Bank of Sydney - 1865
1, 5, 10, 20, 50 pounds notes were produced.
City Bank of Sydney - 1864
1, 5, 10, 50 pounds notes were produced.