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april 18, 2013 - londonFOREWORDThe disposal of the David Kirch collection is one of those landmark events that willinfluence the collecting market for provincial banknotes for years to come. Viewingthese provincial notes indulges the collector with a joyful excess of cerebralpleasures. There is just so much and over such a wide range. And so much that ispreviously unknown. You could just conceivably ask for more but it would be veryselfish to do so.Since their development over the past 300 years or so banks have always beenimportant. Recent events in the financial world have been a timely reminder thatbanks still play an important role in our everyday lives. The bank failure is no longerjust a piece of Victorian mythology. These provincial banknotes take us back to dayswhen every town had at least one local bank that actually issued their own money.And ‘quantitative easing’, in the form of issuing banknotes, could actually be doneby a local banker without reference to any central authority.You do not need to be an expert to appreciate the appeal of an old banknote fromyour own local town – wherever that might be. Provincial banknotes were neverproduced as collector’s items but were real money for use by serious people forsignificant financial transactions. They actually are the tangible history of thefinancial and economic development of the towns and counties of the UnitedKingdom.The David Kirch collection is a wonderful and significant achievement. In themanner of all great collections the time has now come for its dispersal amongst thewider collector community. This is completely appropriate for all true collectorsrecognise that they are only the lucky and temporary custodians of the items theycollect. The wide range of material available ensures that there will be opportunitiesfor both established and new collectors. And for some pieces the opportunity willprobably not be repeated.Roger OutingAuthor: Standard Catalogue of the Provincial Banknotes of England & WalesAll notes being sold on behalf of the David Kirch Charitable Trust3