Description and research notes
Superb archival proof of the 20 Cruzeiros note, produced by the American Bank Note Company for the Tesouro Nacional. Both obverse and reverse are mounted on a single presentation sheet, showcasing the portrait of Dom Pedro II at right and an allegorical vignette of reclining Industry on the reverse. The pair demonstrates the harmony of engraving and typographic composition typical of Brazil’s mid-century currency.
The 1963 series appeared during the last years of the old Cruzeiro (1942–1967) before successive redenominations reshaped the national currency. These proofs reflect the Tesouro Nacional’s collaboration with ABNC to maintain artistic consistency and technical refinement at a time when Brazil sought to project economic stability through design. Fine guilloche work, shaded intaglio portraits, and subtle tints illustrate ABNC’s precision craftsmanship for Latin American clients.
Certified PMG 67 Superb Gem Uncirculated—the highest grade awarded for this type—the sheet preserves full ABNC margin annotations used to align color plates and control registration during production. Such proofs were never issued; they served instead as final reference material within printer archives or official collections.
Archival proofs of this denomination and period are seldom encountered intact, making this example a tangible record of Brazil’s engraving heritage at its technical and aesthetic peak, bridging imperial portraiture with modern Republican identity.