Description and research notes
Internal printer specimen of the 1981–85 100 Dollars note printed by Bradbury Wilkinson for the Reserve Bank of New Zealand and signed by H.R. Hardie as Chief Cashier. Serial YAA 000000. This note is certified by PMG as Specimen and shows a single round punch-hole cancellation only, with no overprint or perforated wording of any kind. Annotated by printer in red and pencil, it served as an internal approval sheet during plate and color inspection.
The hundred-dollar Bradbury Wilkinson series of 1981 continued the Queen Elizabeth II portrait design established in 1967 but introduced more refined engraving and security features. Among all Hardie-era notes, this PMG 40 example and the replacement-star specimen represent the only known specimens without any specimen legend or perforation — pure internal printer references used for approval before full issue.
PMG 40 Extremely Fine, with archival folds and printer handling marks typical of working specimens. Historically important for illustrating Bradbury Wilkinson’s final paper-currency workflow for New Zealand’s high-denomination notes.