Collection

Luxembourg ND (ca. 1965) — 20 Francs (Face Photographic Proof, Unlisted)

Face-side photographic proof for the planned 20 Francs of the mid-1960s, mounted with handwritten production notes. In these monochrome trials, designers verified portrait scale, caption placement, and emblem spacing before commissioning full engraving. The format still bears mid-century aesthetics—tight portrait framing and minimal underprint cues—that would later evolve into the balanced De La Rue layouts of the 1970 series. ... Read more →

Luxembourg ND (ca. 1965) — 20 Francs (Back Photographic Proof, Unlisted)

Back-side photographic proof for the same unissued 20 Francs project, mounted on archive card and annotated in pencil. Rendered entirely in grayscale, it isolates the compositional logic of the design—vignette, numerals, and inscriptions tested for spacing and tone before translation to metal plates. PCGS 63 Apparent (Mounted). ... Read more →

Australia 1965 — 10 Dollars Traveller’s Cheque (Commercial Banking Company of Sydney Limited, Approved Design Proof by Bradbury Wilkinson & Co.)

Approved design proof for the 10 Dollars traveller’s cheque prepared by Bradbury Wilkinson & Co., London, for The Commercial Banking Company of Sydney Limited. Dated 1965 and annotated “As Submitted – Approved,” this is the final approved version that advanced to production, forming the reference model for the bank’s post-decimal traveller’s cheque issue. The engraving combines subtle multi-tone guilloche in olive and emerald green with precise microline work and a centred map-and-harbour vignette, emblematic of Sydney’s trade and maritime identity. ... Read more →

Australia 1965 — 20 Dollars Traveller’s Cheque (Commercial Banking Company of Sydney Limited, Rejected Design Proof by Bradbury Wilkinson & Co.)

Rejected design proof for the proposed 20 Dollars traveller’s cheque printed and engraved by Bradbury Wilkinson & Co., London, for The Commercial Banking Company of Sydney Limited. Submitted in 1965 and annotated “Not Approved,” it represents a parallel concept in the three-denomination traveller’s cheque proposal of that year. The composition features elegant guilloche borders in blue-green and lavender hues, overprinted with a large central watermark-style globe bearing the bank’s initials C.B.C. ... Read more →

Australia 1965 — 50 Dollars Traveller’s Cheque (Commercial Banking Company of Sydney Limited, Rejected Design Proof by Bradbury Wilkinson & Co.)

Rejected design proof for the 50 Dollars traveller’s cheque prepared by Bradbury Wilkinson & Co., London, for The Commercial Banking Company of Sydney Limited. Submitted in 1965 as the top denomination in the same three-value series, this pink-rose specimen bears the annotation “Not Approved” and the same submission date as the $20 proof. The engraving is rich and multi-layered, displaying Bradbury Wilkinson’s refined late-intaglio craftsmanship with deep guilloche patterns and broad, formal typography. ... Read more →