Colin Narbeth (2010)

Colin Narbeth, IBNS Life Member No. 1, was the founder of the IBNS in 1961. More than 50 years ago, Colin was one of the few enthusiasts scattered around the globe who were devoted to the collection of world paper money.

Colin began collecting banknotes (and many other things as well) as a schoolboy in the 1940s. During seven years in the Royal Navy he added a few pieces to his collection from his ports of call. After he left the navy, he became a newspaper reporter and began collecting paper money seriously, buying from the infrequent paper money offerings from the likes of Spink Limited and B.A. Seaby Limited in Britain and Jolie Coins in US. He was also busy writing to anyone whose name came to his attention as sharing a similar interest in paper money. In this way he became friends with other banknote pioneers like Dr. Walter Loeb, Dr. Arnold Keller (who proofread and corrected Narbeth’s first book on banknotes), and often swapped notes with them. He helped launch “Stamp Weekly” and then moved to become a director of Stanley Gibbons International, where he started Stanley Gibbons Currency Limited, the first major British business dealing in paper money. He later left Gibbons to start his own banknote business, Colin Narbeth and Son Limited, which continues as a family business today. Colin has written numerous articles and some 20 books on a range of collecting subjects. In July 1961, Colin produced the first IBNS Journal on a hand-operated Gestetner printer, mailing it out to around 20 people. In addition to the IBNS, Colin is a Fellow of the Linnean Society and the Royal Philatelic Society, London.