Collection PL

Bolivia 1903 - Banco Agricola 5 Bolivianos Front Progressive Proof and Back Proof Pair (Pick S102pp1, S102p2)

Matched printer's proof pair for the Banco Agricola 5 Bolivianos issue of 1903, produced by the American Bank Note Company. The pair preserves both sides of the design at the production stage: a front progressive proof and a separate back proof, together documenting the complete visual program prepared for the denomination. Read more →

Argentina 1866 - Banco de Londres y Rio de la Plata 1 Real Rosario Type A with Printed Signature Issued Note (PS1731, Bauman SFE 70)

Most notes of this early issue were later redeemed and destroyed as Argentina moved toward a more centralized national monetary system. Surviving examples therefore provide valuable documentation of the transitional period when provincial commerce relied heavily on privately issued credit instruments backed by foreign banking capital. Read more →

Argentina 1866 - Banco de Londres y Rio de la Plata 1 Real Rosario Type B with Hand Signature Issued Note (PS1731, Bauman SFE 70)

Most examples of the 1866 issue were redeemed and destroyed during Argentina's later monetary consolidation. Surviving notes therefore represent rare documentation of the formative stage of British-backed banking infrastructure in the country. Read more →

Libya 1971 - Central Bank of Libya 10 Dinars Color Trial Specimen (Omar al-Mukhtar Portrait, Pick 37cts)

In this trial, particular attention was given to the interaction between the deeply engraved intaglio portrait and the multitone underprint. Omar al-Mukhtar’s likeness is rendered with dense cross-hatching and fine facial modeling, requiring precise balance between key plate pressure and background ink load to prevent tonal collapse or loss of detail at speed. Flesh tones, background hues, and ornamental fields were evaluated together to ensure legibility, contrast, and visual authority across the full note. Read more →

Libya 1971 - Central Bank of Libya 10 Dinars Specimen (Omar al-Mukhtar Portrait, Pick 37s)

This specimen captures the precise point at which the engraving, underprint palette, and security architecture were formally locked for production. The portrait of Omar al-Mukhtar-engraved with deep-bite intaglio and dense cross-hatching-is fully integrated with the surrounding guilloche network and multitone background fields. Unlike earlier color trials or vignette proofs, no experimental elements remain; all visual and technical decisions have been finalized. Read more →

Paraguay 1907 - 100 Pesos with 1912 State Overprint (Pick 134, Base Pick 159)

This makes the note a key witness to the difference between ordinary bank circulation and government-backed emergency validation. The original 1907 design already carried the important value clause “Moneda Nacional ó Diez Pesos Oro Sellado,” linking the 100 Pesos paper denomination to a gold-referenced monetary formula. In the unstable economy of 1912, that wording gained renewed importance. The state overprint did not erase the old Banco de la República identity; it layered new public authority on top of it. The result was a hybrid instrument: a 1907 Waterlow & Sons banknote, still visibly carrying its original bank design and gold-value language, but now formally brought under the 1912 state emission. Read more →

Barbados 1943 - Government of Barbados 100 Dollars Prefix AA Front and Back Archival Photograph Pair (Pick Unlisted)

This item consists of a matched pair of archival photographic prints documenting the front and back designs of an unissued 100 Dollars banknote for Barbados, dated 1943 and produced under British colonial administration. The photographs record a complete banknote design that did not proceed to production or circulation and survive as internal visual documentation rather than monetary instruments. Read more →

Great Britain c.1806–1812 - Derby Bank £5 Proof (Pick Unlisted)

At the time this proof was produced, Britain’s monetary system was still decentralized. Hundreds of private and provincial banks issued their own notes, payable on demand and backed by local reputation rather than a central authority. Derby Bank operated within this framework, issuing notes tailored specifically to its regional clientele. Such banks relied on London correspondents-here explicitly named as Samuel Smith & Co., Bankers, London-to facilitate redemption, settlement, and credibility beyond their immediate locality. 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 →

Great Britain 1904 - Thomas Cook & Son $50 Circular Note Photographic Proof (Pick Unlisted)

In modern terms, the same financial logic survives today in debit and credit card systems: pre-funded or credit-backed instruments, globally recognized, with identity verification performed electronically rather than by handwritten signature. The medium has changed, but the underlying concept of secure, portable purchasing power for international travel remains identical. Read more →

Great Britain 1922 - Thomas Cook and Son 5 Pounds Travellers Cheque Photographic Proof (Pick Unlisted)

This example is a photographic proof, a distinct proofing format used to capture and evaluate the engraved face before commitment to full production printing. Photographic proofs were employed to assess engraving clarity, ornamental balance, typographic hierarchy, denomination placement, portrait treatment, and the overall visual integrity of the design. The sepia-toned image preserves the Thomas Cook and Son title banner, large denomination devices, dense geometric background, portrait vignette, payment wording, and signature areas in a clean production-review state. Read more →

Great Britain 1923 - Thomas Cook & Son Travellers Cheque 100 Rupees Photographic Proof (Pick Unlisted)

Across the upper center appears the THOMAS COOK & SON name in large engraved lettering. The denomination is repeated prominently throughout the design: 100 RUPEES appears in both upper corners, while the left side is dominated by a large circular 100 RUPEES medallion. Dense guilloche patterning fills the background and borders, combining decorative complexity with the security requirements of a negotiable financial instrument. Read more →