LAMPHUN — Retired officer seeks to fund Parkinson’s treatment with collection of misprinted notes valued in millions
A retired police officer has discovered several genuine Thai banknotes printed on only one side, believed to be the only ones of their kind in the world. After confirming their authenticity, he plans to auction them to raise funds for his Parkinson’s disease treatment.
Pol. Col. Amnuay Jongkham, 60, a graduate of the 42nd class of the Royal Police Cadet Academy and former superintendent of Wiang Nong Long Police Station in Lamphun Province, revealed his rare collection on October 10. The long-time banknote collector accumulated these unique specimens during his service in northern Thailand, carefully preserving each one in protective plastic to prevent moisture damage.
Genuine Printing Errors
The collection includes several banknotes with printing errors—some with only the front printed, others with only the back—making them extremely rare collectibles.
One of the most striking pieces is a ฿100 banknote whose reverse side appears normal, displaying portraits of King Rama V and King Rama VI. However, the front side is completely blank, lacking the portrait of King Rama X, text, and serial numbers, though faint watermarks remain visible. Authorities have confirmed it is a genuine Thai banknote that was misprinted during production.
“These are genuine printing errors, making each note unique,” Pol. Col. Amnuay said. “I have collected them for years, but I must now auction them for my medical treatment.”
Auction Lineup and Starting Bids
Five rare notes will be auctioned in Bangkok on December 6–7, 2025, by one of Thailand’s leading auction houses:
- ฿100 note (King Rama X series, printed in 2018) with only the back side — starting bid: 3 million baht ($91,805)
- ฿100 note (King Rama IX series) with one printed side — starting bid: 3 million baht ($91,805)
- ฿50 note (King Rama X series, serial number 6H 8159168) with only the front side — starting bid: 1 million baht ($30,600)
- ฿70 commemorative note (King Rama IX series) with one printed side — starting bid: 350,000 baht ($10,710)
Crown Jewel: The “Lucky Note”
Pol. Col. Amnuay also owns an extremely rare ฿1 note from King Rama VIII’s era, marked as a “lucky note” with the serial number ก 9999999. The note contains the old spelling “ธนบัตร์” (with an extra “ร” and tone mark) and was printed in Japan during World War II, making it Thailand’s first commemorative or “lucky” banknote.
Although not yet priced for auction, he expects this piece to fetch more than any other in the collection.
Reluctant Sale
Pol. Col. Amnuay said he must submit the banknotes to the auction house by October 11 and wanted to display them publicly beforehand. Despite his reluctance to part with his treasured collection, he feels compelled to auction the notes to fund his Parkinson’s treatment.
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