Collection

Argentina 1883 — Banco de la Provincia de Buenos Aires 2 Pesos Oro (Proof)

Superb proof engraving prepared by the American Bank Note Company for the Banco de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, dated 19 de Enero de 1883. The design features an equestrian vignette at center symbolizing progress and vitality, flanked by portraits of Florencio Varela and Valentín Alsina, two influential figures in Argentina’s political and intellectual life. Printed directly from ABNC master plates in black ink on thin India paper and mounted on card stock, this piece confirms its pre-issue proof status. ... Read more →

Uruguay 1872 — 100 Pesos = 10 Doblones (Specimen)

Archival specimen of the 1872 issue of the Banco de Londres y Río de la Plata, denominated 100 Pesos Nacionales with an explicit equivalence to 10 Doblones in gold. This dual denomination was highly unusual in Latin American numismatics, serving as both a circulating promise and a political declaration of Uruguay’s attempt to stabilize paper currency by anchoring it to a fixed gold standard. The experiment was short-lived: by the late 1870s the peso–doblón equivalence had collapsed, making surviving notes a tangible record of one of Uruguay’s boldest but least sustainable monetary policies. ... Read more →

Brazil — Tesouro Nacional, Undated ‘Valor Legal’ Test Proof

Typography and layout test prepared for the Tesouro Nacional, featuring the arced inscription 'TESOURO NACIONAL' and upper legend 'VALOR LEGAL'. Printed without denomination or date on thin archival paper, this undated printer’s trial was created to evaluate font weight, curvature, and typographic balance for potential note headers. During the 1960s, Brazil’s currency authorities frequently requested printer samples to refine the national identity of Tesouro Nacional issues. ... Read more →

Brazil — Tesouro Nacional, Prefix Test Proof “Estampa 3ª Série 000a”

Printer’s serial and prefix trial sheet bearing three bold red impressions reading 'ESTAMPA 3ª SÉRIE 000a'. Produced as an undated archival test without denomination, vignette, or design. Such prefix tests allowed press operators to calibrate numbering wheels and ink density before full production of Tesouro Nacional banknotes. ... Read more →

Luxembourg 1970 — 100 Francs (Specimen, Pick 56s, Archival Gridlines)

Archival specimen of the 1970 100 Francs with the printer’s blue registration grid still visible—a genuine working-press artifact from De La Rue’s London works. The grid was used to verify alignment and spacing before committing to steel; every visible intersection documents the physical geometry behind the finished currency. PMG 65 EPQ Gem Uncirculated. ... Read more →