Rare ChangeAU

RARE CHANGE / NOTES / PLATE 26 · 10/- · 1952-1961 · NOTE

Ten shillings, Coombs/Wilson, and what it's worth

An Australian ten shilling note signed by H.C. Coombs and R. Wilson, from any of its three printings (the 1952 King George VI design, or the Matthew Flinders design of 1954 or 1961), with an ordinary all-digit serial number and no star.

Typical sale · Extremely Finen = 25

A genuine one, barely worn

$160

Middle half of sales $120 to $220. Lowest $80, highest $1,100.

Hammer prices (before buyer's fees) from 52 single-item sales at Noble Numismatics and Downies, 2016 to 2026. Updated 30 Oct 2026.

Prices by condition

AUD

Worn coins sell for less. Find the row that looks most like yours.

Heavily wornGood to Very Good · 3 sales

Too few sales for a fair price

WornFine · 2 sales

Too few sales for a fair price

Lightly wornVery Fine · 7 sales

$340

Barely wornExtremely Fine · 25 sales

$160

Never usedUncirculated · 15 sales

$320

Line: lowest to highest sale. Box: the middle half of sales. Dot: the median, half sold for more and half for less.

Recent sales

Hammer
DateConditionAuctionPrice
28 Jul 2026 Lightly worn Noble $70
13 Apr 2026 Barely worn Noble $100
13 Apr 2026 Worn Noble $40
25 Nov 2025 Never used Noble $340
28 Jul 2025 Never used Noble $420
29 Jul 2024 Barely worn Noble $120

How to check yours

Each letter on the drawing marks where to look. A magnifying glass or your phone's zoom helps.

Front of the note
COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA10/-10/-FlindersCoombsWilsonAA/00 000000AA/00 000000Layout only, not to scale. Serial shown is an example.BCAD

  1. Do the two signatures read Coombs and Wilson?

    The two printed signatures on the front of the note
    YES
    The signatures are those of H.C. Coombs and R. Wilson.
    NO
    The signatures show another pair, such as Coombs and Watt, or Armitage and McFarlane.

  2. Is there a small star where the serial number's final digit would be?

    The end of the serial number on the front
    YES
    The serial number ends in a hollow five-pointed star instead of a digit.
    NO
    Every character of the serial number after the prefix is a digit.

  3. Does the prefix read AC/00?

    The letters and figures printed before the serial number on a Flinders note
    YES
    The prefix before the serial number reads AC/00, the first prefix of the 1954 Flinders printing.
    NO
    The prefix shows other letters or figures.

  4. Is the printing or cutting visibly faulty?

    The whole note, front and back, including the edges
    YES
    The design is cut off or shifted, ink from another sheet shows on the note, part of the design is missing, or a flap of extra paper is attached.
    NO
    The design sits evenly within the edges and is fully printed.
Check mine from a photo

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Record

Face value
10/-
Issued
1952 to 1961
Signatures
Coombs/Wilson (1952, 1954, 1961)
  • The Coombs/Wilson signatures were used on the King George VI ten shilling note from 1952. [4][8]
  • The Flinders design was first issued in 1954, with Matthew Flinders on the front and the old Parliament House on the back. [1][4]
  • The Flinders design carries a Captain James Cook watermark. [1][4]
  • The King George VI ten shilling design, first issued in 1939, shows a manufacturing scene on the back. [2][4]
  • H.C. Coombs was Governor of the Commonwealth Bank from January 1949 and became the first Governor of the Reserve Bank in January 1960, serving until July 1968. [3][6]
  • Roland Wilson, the second signatory, headed the Treasury as its Secretary from 1 April 1951 to 27 October 1966. [7][9]
  • Star replacement notes were also made for the ten shilling note; they are a separate item from this ordinary issue. [8][11]

Questions

How much is a Ten shillings, Coombs/Wilson worth?

A genuine Ten shillings, Coombs/Wilson in barely worn condition (Extremely Fine) has typically sold for $160 at Australian auctions, with the middle half of sales between $120 and $220. Better-preserved examples sell for more.

How do I know if my Ten shillings, Coombs/Wilson is genuine?

Work through the checks above. They cover what genuine examples show and what altered or different versions don't. A photo can't prove a coin or note is genuine, so for a valuable find, ask a professional numismatist or a grading service before you sell.

Should I clean it?

No. Cleaning leaves fine scratches that collectors spot at once, and cleaned coins and notes sell for much less. Keep it as it is, in a paper envelope or a coin holder.

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from at least two independent sources. Prices come from our own record of auction results.

  1. RBA Museum: 1950s Series (Change and Stability pocket guide), read 29 Oct 2026
  2. RBA Museum: Ash Series 1938-1940 (Change and Stability pocket guide), read 29 Oct 2026
  3. Reserve Bank of Australia: Governors, read 29 Oct 2026
  4. Wikipedia: Banknotes of the Australian pound, read 29 Oct 2026
  5. Wikipedia: Australian ten-shilling note, read 29 Oct 2026
  6. Wikipedia: H. C. Coombs, read 29 Oct 2026
  7. Wikipedia: Roland Wilson (economist), read 29 Oct 2026
  8. Sterling & Currency: Star Replacement Notes in Australia - How to Collect Them, read 29 Oct 2026
  9. Sterling & Currency: 1966 $10 Star Note Coombs/Wilson R301sF, read 29 Oct 2026
  10. Sterling & Currency: Rare, Wrong, and Worth Collecting - The Appeal of Misprinted Banknotes, read 29 Oct 2026
  11. Australian Coins: Star Notes or Star Replacement Banknotes, read 29 Oct 2026
  12. Coins and Australia: Star notes registry, read 29 Oct 2026
  13. Coins and Australia: Errors and misprints on Australian banknotes, read 29 Oct 2026
  14. Noble Numismatics Sale 130, lot 3848: Ten shillings, Coombs/Wilson (1954), AC/00 first serial prefix, read 29 Oct 2026
  15. Real Banknotes: Australia p29a, 10 Shillings from 1954, read 29 Oct 2026