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Marie
Byrd Land is not a sovereign nation. It is the largest
unclaimed area remaining on Earth. Famed Antarctic explorer
Admiral Richard E. Byrd named Marie Byrd Land after his wife in 1929
during his first mission to the Antarctican continent. It
consists of over 1,600,000 square kilometers of very remote territory
on the west side of Antarctica. Marie Byrd Land lies east of the
Ross Ice Shelf/Ross Sea and south of the Pacific Ocean. It covers
the area between 158 degrees W longitude and 103 degree 24 minutes
W.
Prolific bank note graphic artist R. J. Reed, chief designer at the
Reed Banknote Co., Sarasota, Florida (formerly known as
FAN-T-C-GRAFIX), thought the creation of a fantasy currency for this
region would create a challenge. Having produced the vast
majority of his bills based on antiquated designs, this posed an
interesting problem to the self-proclaimed "Captain of Collectible
Counterfeit" and CEO of Misterbanknote.com/Richard J. Reed World Paper
Money. He decided on the penguino (pronouced "pen-gwee-no") as
the unit of currency for this distinct series. So, naturally, the
theme on at least the first notes of the series would be penguins (and
lots of 'em on the front of the first "one penguino" notes he came up
with).
The first one penguino notes (specimen essay/proofs) bear the date
20.5.2010 (May 20,
2010). These notes were completed just before Reed headed off to
the 34th annual International Paper Money Show in Memphis, Tenn.
Only 14 three-note sheets of these were printed, and of those, 12 of
the 14 were printed with the backs upside down, creating 36
unintentional error notes to start off the series on shaky
footing! These first notes did not have any holograms and
utilized a special seal at the lower left on the front that was created
for "Operation Deep Freeze," the code name for a series of US missions
to Antarctica.
With some minor changes and the addition of three holograms, including
a neat translucent one that allowed the Operation Deep Freeze seal to
show through, a series of about 150 specimen one penguinos bearing the
special date 10.10.10 (October 10, 2010) were then created. No
"regular issue" or redeemable notes were created for this date.
A further-modified design was then sparsely produced as about 36
specimens and 36 "regular issue" redeemable one penguino notes dated
with another special date: 1.1.11 (January 1, 2011) were printed.
There was also a special test note (six pieces) printed on a blue
parchment paper. These were the last of the bills to use the ODF
seal. All the one penguinos up to this point have been printed by
color laser technology in Sarasota, FL.
Next would come the first true production run, and it would fittingly
be completed just before the next Memphis show, and bears the date
2.6.11 (June 2, 2011). It would also be a different denomination,
the three penguino, and produced specifically to be redeemable only at
the Memphis IPMS. For the Memphis bills, these had a new "Seal of
the Exchequer of Marie Byrd Land" to replace the ODF seal. These
latest notes also employ two translucent holograms (on the exchequer
seal on the front and the Memphis anniversary seal on the back) and a
square hologram in the upper left hand corner with printed serial
number, denomination, and other information. For the first time,
a facsimile signature for MBL Exchequer (and note designer) R. J. Reed
was placed on the note, and space was created for the signatures of two
IPMS official signatures. The entire printing of this three
penguino note, commemorating the 50th anniversaries of the Society of
Paper Money Collectors and International Bank Note Society, as well as
the 35th anniversary of the Memphis IPMS, was purchased by Lyn Knight,
owner of the IPMS and Lyn Knight Currency Auctions. Outside
of the proofs, which were printed in Sarasota, FL by color laser, the
regular notes were printed at a different facility in Kansas City using
Indigo press technology.
A series of one-two-and three penguino notes are planned next.
The three penguino will be similar to the Memphis issue but without the
anniversary seals, etc. The one penguino will get a new back
showing only one penguin. The two penguino will be on the drawing
boards soon. It is planned to run 3-note or 6-note sheets of
1-2-3 penguinos.
MARIE BYRD LAND (WESTERN ANTARCTICA)
- "Operation Deepfreeze One
Penguino"
FAN045sa1
Marie Bird Land Western Antarctica -
uncut sheet of 3 fantasy one penguino SPECIMEN essay/proof notes on
white
paper, dated 20.5.2010, backs printed in error upside down - $40.00
[12 sheets printed]
FAN045sa2
Marie Bird Land Western Antarctica -
uncut sheet of 3 fantasy one penguino SPECIMEN essay/proof notes on
white
paper, as above but with backs printed correctly - $100.00 [2 sheets
printed]
FAN045sb1
Marie Bird Land Western Antarctica -
uncut sheet of 3 fantasy one penguino SPECIMEN notes on white
paper similar to above essay but with some minor changes and with
3 holograms, dated 10.10.10 (October 10, 2010),
artist-signed- $60.00 [about 50 sheets printed, most cut up into
individual notes]
FAN045nb1
Marie Bird Land Western Antarctica - single fantasy one penguino
SPECIMEN note as above on white
paper with 3 holograms, dated 10.10.10 (October 10,
2010), artist-signed- $10.00
{about 150 notes
printed, included in above sheet count}
FAN045nc1
Marie Bird Land Western Antarctica - single fantasy one penguino
SPECIMEN note on white
paper with 3 holograms but with some design changes from FAN045nb1,
dated 1.1.11 (January
1, 2011), artist-signed- $20.00 {about 36 notes
printed}
FAN045nc2
Marie Bird Land Western Antarctica - single fantasy one penguino
SPECIMEN note on blue parchment
paper with 3 holograms like FAN045nc1,
dated 1.1.11 (January 1,
2011),
artist-signed- $60.00 {only 6 notes
printed}
FAN045nc3
Marie Bird Land Western Antarctica - single fantasy one penguino
"regular issue, redeemable" note on white
paper with 3 holograms like FAN045nc1,
dated 1.1.11 (January 1, 2011),
exchangeable for one U. S. dollar until January 1, 2012 from MBL
Exchequer, artist-signed - $20.00 each {only 36 notes printed}
MARIE BYRD LAND (WESTERN ANTARCTICA)
- "Three
Penguinos - Special Memphis 35th Anniversary/ IBNS-SPMC 50th
Anniversary Note"
FAN061x
Note: Entire variety,
commemorating the 50th anniversaries of the
International Bank Note Society and the Society of Paper Money
Collectors, was purchased by Lyn Knight Currency Auctions for use at
the 35th Annual International Paper Money Show in Memphis, June 9-13,
2011. For pricing and availability of individual notes, uncut
sheets,
oversize 11x17 signed
prints, and proofs, contact Lyn Knight at
LynKnight.com.
FAN061est1
Marie Bird Land Western Antarctica -
uncut sheet of 3 fantasy three penguino SPECIMEN essay/proof test
notes, color laser print on
white
paper, dated 2.6.11, no holograms attached, MBL 000000 at left, TEST
000 at right
FAN061est2 Marie Bird Land
Western Antarctica -
uncut sheet of 3 fantasy three penguino SPECIMEN essay/proof test
notes, as above but with additional 3-digit black number overprinted at
right after red TEST 000 [2 sheets printed]
FAN061est3 Marie Bird
Land Western Antarctica -
uncut sheet of 3 fantasy three penguino SPECIMEN essay/proof test
notes, color laser print on
white
paper, dated 2.6.11, no holograms attached, MBL 000000 at left, TEST
000 at right
FAN061sp1 Marie
Bird Land Western Antarctica -
uncut sheet of 3 fantasy three penguino final pre-production proof
notes, color laser print on
white
paper, dated 2.6.11, no holograms and no serial numbers; R. J. Reed
facimile Exchequer sign.
FAN061sp2 Marie Bird
Land Western Antarctica -
uncut sheet of 3 fantasy three penguino final pre-production proof
notes, as above, but with 3 holograms affixed to each note; A1B, A2B,
A3B on holograms in top left corners; unique
Additional note: above sheets handsigned in "Marie Byrd Land blue" by
R. J. Reed
FAN061n1 Marie
Bird Land Western Antarctica - single fantasy three penguino
show-redeemable fully-signed note, Indigo press print on
white
paper, dated 2.6.11, w/holograms and serial numbers; R. J. Reed
facimile Exchequer signature plus two hand signatures, serials
number range A1A - A268A; A1B - A268B; A1C - A268C
FAN061sn1
Marie Bird Land Western Antarctica - uncut sheet of 3 fantasy three
penguino
show-redeemable fully-signed replacement (*) notes, Indigo press print
on
white
paper, dated 2.6.11, w/holograms and serial numbers; R. J. Reed
facimile Exchequer signature plus two hand signatures, serials
number
range *1A - *25A; *1B - *25B; *1C - *25C
You
have just entered...
RICHARD J. REED
P. O. BOX 20665
SARASOTA, FL
34276-3665
E-MAIL: rjreed@misterbanknote.com
WEB SITE:
www.misterbanknote.com
misterbanknote.com
...because
money
does not grow on trees
GOD
BLESS THE PLANET EARTH
This
web site designed, produced, and owned by Richard J. Reed
Copyright
2011
Richard J. Reed - All rights reserved
Special
thanks
to "Commander" Dave Cote for his technical expertise
and
patience
in assisting with the development of this site.