Framed Commemorative Westpac Cheque Signed by Prime Minister John Howard

This item is a framed commemorative Westpac Banking Corporation cheque, hand-signed by the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard. The cheque is dated 9 May 2001, coinciding with the Centenary of Federation and the 100th anniversary of the first sitting of the Australian Parliament. The cheque is made out to 'CASH' for the amount of 'ONE DOLLAR' ($1.00). It features a prominent, original black ink signature in the bottom right corner. Below the cheque, a descriptive plaque is set into a second window of the matting, printed in a black Gothic-style typeface which explains the historical significance and provenance of the gesture. The entire presentation is professionally housed in a double-aperture cream-colored mat with a subtle beveled edge. The frame is a classic redwood or mahogany-toned timber with a visible grain, roughly square in shape. The cheque itself appears well-preserved with no immediate signs of foxing or fading, though the paper has the typical semi-gloss finish of bank-issued documents from the early 2000s. The MICR encoding line and Westpac branding are clearly visible. As a piece of political memorabilia, its value is derived from the specific date and the personal nature of the Prime Minister's signature on a financial instrument, marking a significant milestone in Australian democratic history.