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Results for “british engraved notes”
New Zealand 1907–1926 Bank of New Zealand £20 Blue audit-range serial-prefix specimen with dual control numbers, Bradbury Wilkinson & Co., PMG 55 AU, Pop 1/1, R9 Extremely Rare

New Zealand 1907–1926 - Bank of New Zealand £20 Blue Serial-Prefix Audit Specimen (Pick S194s)

The obverse presents a fully realized Edwardian composition: an engraved Māori portrait vignette rendered with anthropological precision, a coastal scene symbolizing New Zealand’s export-driven economy, and a central blue-grey guilloche medallion exclusive to the bank’s highest denomination. The reverse features an ornate frame enclosing the word POUNDS, surrounded by micro-engraved denomination clusters and anti-photographic detailing. Watermark impressions visible in transmitted light correspond to the special paper stock used only for BNZ’s top-tier issues. Read more →

New ZealandSpecimen190720 PoundsPMG 55 About Uncirculated (Pop 1/1) Specimen20 PoundsBlueBNZ Color LineageHigh Denomination Color TierHigh DenominationAudit-Range SpecimenSerial PrefixDual Serial NumbersPerforated SpecimenBradbury WilkinsonBWCPick S194sBank of New ZealandPrivate Banknote EraPre-Reserve BankNew Zealand Banking HistoryBritish Engraved NotesMāori Portrait VignettesSecurity Printing HistoryHigh-Value NotesAudit Control SheetNew Zealand190719261907–1926PMG 58Pop 1Top PopMuseum GradeR9 Extremely RareUnique
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New Zealand 1895–1915 Bank of New Zealand 5 Pounds Orange Specimen Pick S192s with dual serial numbers A000001 and A020000, perforated CANCELLED marking, left audit margin, and dated top margin printer annotations, printed by Bradbury Wilkinson & Company, Limited, London, PMG 55 About Uncirculated.

New Zealand 1895–1915 - Bank of New Zealand £5 Orange Specimen (Pick S192s)

The high-denomination anchor of the Bank of New Zealand color series, this five pounds orange specimen (Pick S192s) represents one of the most structurally complex and production-informative notes of New Zealand’s private banking era. Printed by Bradbury, Wilkinson & Company, Limited, London, it embodies the transition from richly ornamental Victorian engraving toward the more controlled and symmetrical Edwardian framework that followed. The composition preserves the defining elements of the earlier series-paired Māori figures within oval medallions at left, a lower maritime vignette reflecting colonial trade identity, and a dense guilloche lattice enclosing the denomination-while introducing a more disciplined spatial hierarchy across the central obligation panel.

Engraved Security Printing Maritime Economy Notes British Colonial Finance
New Zealand 1870–1890 Bank of New Zealand 1 Pound Green Specimen Pick S191s, dual serial numbers A197001 and B047000, perforated CANCELLED, Bradbury Wilkinson printing, PMG 58 Choice About Uncirculated

New Zealand 1870–1890 - Bank of New Zealand £1 Green Specimen (Pick S191s)

This £1 Green specimen marks a pivotal stage in New Zealand’s monetary development. During the late nineteenth century, the Bank of New Zealand operated within a privately issued currency system, where commercial banks produced their own notes backed by reserves and governed under colonial legislation. Bradbury Wilkinson introduced high-security engraving standards to this system, embedding British technical precision into a developing colonial economy.

Engraved Security Printing Maritime Economy Notes British Colonial Finance
New Zealand 1924–1925 Bank of New Zealand 10 Shillings Front Proof Pick S231p1 with SPECIMEN perforation, Bradbury Wilkinson & Co.

New Zealand 1924–1925 - Bank of New Zealand 10 Shillings Front Proof with SPECIMEN Perforation (Pick S231p1)

The note features a finely engraved portrait of the Māori rangatira Tamati Waka Nene (1780–1871), leader of Ngāpuhi and an early ally of British settlement-one of the first indigenous statesmen ever depicted on a Commonwealth banknote. Surrounding the portrait are complex guilloché patterns and a two-tone lilac-and-ochre tint underprint demonstrating the peak of Bradbury Wilkinson’s late-Edwardian plate craftsmanship.

Engraved Security Printing
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