Great Plane Robbery Created Australian Specimens
One lot in Queensland’s Roxburys auction house’s May sale provided the latest chapter in Australia’s 1982 Great Plane Robbery gone wrong. It consisted of an exceedingly rare Australian specimen set.
On Sept. 21, 1982, the Queensland Police arrested five men at four airports in the Sunshine State. All were part of an audacious attempt to steal four Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) banknote consignments while inflight on Trans Australia Airlines (TAA) planes. Some A$600,000 was involved.
Four of the Melbourne-based, would-be robbers had consigned themselves as freight, and hid inside specially constructed crates lined with telephone books. The intent was to emerge into the aircraft’s cargo hold in-flight and then work the old switcheroo. Notes would be removed from accompanying RBA
