Collection PL

New Zealand 1896 - Bank of Australasia £50 Christchurch Proof (Pick Unlisted)

This proof displays the fully engraved obverse design, including denomination roundels, the seated allegorical vignette at center, and the formal promise to pay the bearer on demand. The layout reflects mature Victorian security printing practice, balancing ornamental complexity with legibility and authority. The absence of serial numbering, signatures, and circulation elements confirms its status as a proof prepared for reference and institutional record rather than issue. Read more →

Italy 1871 - Standing Italia used on Banca Italo-Germanica 250 Lire Vignette Die Proof

As a surviving stand-alone die proof, the piece documents Bradbury Wilkinson's engraving practice at the individual component level and preserves the principal allegorical vignette used on the Banca Italo-Germanica 250 Lire specimen before its incorporation into the complete security-printed composition. Read more →

Uruguay 1862 - Banco de Londres y Rio de la Plata 100 Pesos Specimen (Pick S245s)

Engraved and printed by Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co. in London, the note reflects the firm’s first major commission for the Rio de la Plata area. The allegorical vignettes-Mercury representing trade and Agriculture symbolizing prosperity-conveyed both British confidence and local ambition. Dense guilloché fields, lathe-turned borders, and watermarked paper illustrate BWC’s early transition from hand-engraved dies to mechanical precision engraving, a security standard that shaped modern banknote production. Read more →

Brazil 1963 - Tesouro Nacional 20 Cruzeiros Front & Back Proof

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. Read more →

United States 1914 – 50 Dollars Federal Reserve Note – Philadelphia District White | Mellon (Fr.1035)

This fifty-dollar denomination carries the engraved portrait of President Ulysses S. Grant at center, flanked by allegorical vignettes symbolizing commerce and productivity. The reverse, titled 'Panama,' depicts a sweeping allegory of maritime trade celebrating America’s engineering triumph-the opening of the Panama Canal in 1914. It is one of the few note designs in U.S. history to feature an explicitly contemporary event, pairing the theme of economic expansion with the assertion of global reach. Read more →

Australia 1963 - Commercial Banking Company of Sydney LIMITED £5 Travellers Cheque Specimen (Pick Unlisted)

Specimen traveller’s cheque for £5 issued by the Commercial Banking Company of Sydney, Limited. Printed in blue and green with the same allegorical vignette of a child with fleece used across the series, embodying the themes of trust, productivity, and growth. Read more →

Australia 1963 - Commercial Banking Company of Sydney LIMITED £2 Travellers Cheque Specimen (Pick Unlisted)

Specimen traveller’s cheque for £2 issued by the Commercial Banking Company of Sydney, Limited. Printed in green with an allegorical vignette depicting a child with fleece, symbolizing prosperity, trade, and trust - central ideals in Australian colonial iconography. Read more →

Argentina 1876 - Banco de San Juan 5 Pesos Fuertes Specimen (S1881s)

The engraving reflects Bradbury Wilkinson’s mature export style for Latin American provincial banks. At center, a classical female allegory embodies republican ideals and stability; flanking vignettes incorporate native fauna and the provincial coat of arms, asserting regional identity within a federal framework. Dense lathe-work borders, layered guilloché fields, and crisp intaglio linework demonstrate security printing standards far beyond the capacity of local printers, reinforcing confidence in paper money issued far from the capital. Read more →

Brazil ca. 1852–1870 - Imperial Treasury of Brazil 10 Mil Réis Contemporary Counterfeit (Pick A231x)

The design closely imitates the official Imperial issue, including the central allegorical vignette, denomination cartouches, and surrounding geometric rosette framework. The engraving demonstrates a high level of technical competence, reflecting the reality that contemporary forgers were often trained engravers or printers capable of producing imitations that challenged official security measures. Such counterfeits were not crude novelties but functional monetary intrusions that tested the resilience of Brazil’s paper money system. Read more →

Argentina 1869 - Banco Domingo Garbino, 1 Peso Fuerte Issued Note with Red Overprint (Pick S1802)

The base design reflects ABNC's late-1860s export engraving style. A central horse-head vignette is flanked by a youthful female portrait at left and an industrial allegorical vignette at right. Blue underprint denomination panels, ornate border engraving, fine lathe-work, and detailed vignette cutting demonstrate the security-printing methods used by the American Bank Note Company for provincial Latin American banking institutions. Read more →

United States 1934A - 10 Dollars North Africa Silver Certificate (Friedberg 2309), PCGS 35 Very Fine

The obverse features the familiar portrait of Alexander Hamilton, framed by the classical small-size layout adopted in 1928. The reverse retains the traditional allegorical vignette representing Agriculture and Industry, engraved in layered intaglio characteristic of Bureau of Engraving and Printing craftsmanship. The New York Federal Reserve District, indicated by the letter B, anchors the issue within the Federal Reserve System’s production framework. Read more →