Australia 1941 Hay Internment Camp Two Shillings nUNC

Mendel/Stahl Signature

With Australian currency prohibited inside the camps the first medium of exchange were notes. Threepenny and Penny notes were printed in 1940 for use within camp seven as small change. These notes are now extremely rare with only around a dozen remaining.

A second more sophisticated printing of notes was undertaken. The notes were dated 1st March 1941 and issued at the Hay Internment Camp No. 7 for use by inmates mainly for purchases from the camp canteen. Three denominations - Two Shillings Shilling and Sixpence - were printed each with three separate signature combinations. The notes were designed by Austrian artist George Teltscher and printed by Harry Byers in the printshop of the Riverine Grazier Hay. It is estimated that a total of 9 000 notes were printed (2 000 Two Shillings 4 000 Shilling and 3 000 Sixpence). These issues contravened Australian law and were withdrawn in September 1941. Many were cancelled with a red rubber stamp. The few notes that remain in existence - estimated at less than 200 in total - are extremely rare souvenirs as all notes were supposedly destroyed.

Crypto-legends appear in the note designs on both the front and back. One of these is in the wool of the sheep forming the centre of the coat of arms on the front bearing the name 'Epstein' - the camp leader.

Pin Holes nUNC