Fanning Island was a key relay station in World War II, connecting Vancouver, Canada with Sydney, Australia. American troops stationed there used the cable to send messages home. Australian banknotes were used on the island. But due to the war, new currency from Australia could not be supplied. R. G. Garrett, Manager of Fanning Island Plantations, Ltd., ordered 1,000 one Pound notes bearing his signatures from Honolulu. The notes were used to pay plantation workers and were circulated freely in the island.

After the war, the notes were redeemed for Australian banknotes. Most of the notes were cut in half and the corners were clipped. They were then used for movie admission tickets with the right half worth 1 shilling and the left half 2 shillings. These were written on the halves in blue and red crayon respectively. Only a few notes were not bisected. About five years after the war, someone collected the bisected halves that were in the theater, and began selling them to collectors. Where possible, the bisected halves were matched to re-form the original. This note appears to be one of those that was successfully matched. Another oddity about this issue is the range of serial numbers. While only 1,000 notes were reportedly printed, known serial numbers ranging from 1117 to 3175.

Scans courtesy of Lyn Knight.