Collection PL

United States 1935D - 1 Dollar Silver Certificate Butterfly Fold Error (Friedberg 1613W, IF Block)

This specimen is certified PMG 58 EPQ Choice About Uncirculated, combining near-Uncirculated condition with completely original paper quality. The EPQ designation confirms natural paper wave and embossing, untouched by pressing or cleaning-an important consideration for collectors of mechanical errors, since the physical fold itself is the defining feature. Despite the minor handling typical for the grade, the note retains full originality and strong color contrast, with deep blue Treasury seal and serials against crisp off-white paper. Read more →

United States 1935F - 1 Dollar Silver Certificate Courtesy Autograph by Treasurer Ivy Baker Priest (Friedberg 1615, UI Block)

Certified PMG 64 EPQ Choice Uncirculated, the note retains crisp paper originality, bright color contrast, and deep embossing. The EPQ (Exceptional Paper Quality) designation confirms complete originality with no pressing or restoration, essential for autograph integrity. The hand-applied signature remains bold and well-placed, complementing the note’s balanced margins and vivid ink tone. Read more →

United States 1928G - 2 Dollars Legal Tender Note Red Seal Star Replacement (Friedberg 1508*)

Certified PMG 66 EPQ Gem Uncirculated, this note exhibits pristine margins, rich red overprints, and fully original paper brightness. The EPQ designation affirms exceptional paper originality and unaltered embossing - critical in confirming its untouched condition. The depth of engraving in Jefferson’s portrait and the even color saturation across the overprint layers showcase the technical precision of early small-size intaglio work. Read more →

Poland 1994 - 10 Zlotych, Narodowy Bank Polski WZÓR Specimen Number 010 (Pick 173s)

The reverse continues the Mieszko I theme through motifs connected with the origins of the Polish state. The note preserves the complete design and security structure of the 10 Zlotych issue, including guilloche work, denomination panels, and the Mieszko I watermark. Read more →

Poland 1994 - 20 Zlotych, Narodowy Bank Polski WZÓR Specimen Number 010 (Pick 174s)

This AA0000000, WZÓR No. 010 example forms part of the complete five-denomination matching-number WZÓR 010 set preserved in this collection. Read more →

Poland 1994 - 50 Zlotych, Narodowy Bank Polski WZÓR Specimen Number 010 (Pick 175s)

The obverse features King Casimir III the Great, the Polish eagle, the denomination PIĘĆDZIESIĄT ZŁOTYCH, the Warsaw date of 25 March 1994, and the printed signatures of Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz and Wiesław Biernatowicz. The red WZÓR overprint and WZÓR No. 010 marking remain prominent within the completed face design. Read more →

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

This example is exceptional for its state of preservation. Most contemporary counterfeits survive today only in heavily worn condition, having circulated extensively and often been destroyed once detected. By contrast, this note remains in Choice Uncirculated condition with Exceptional Paper Quality. The EPQ designation confirms original paper integrity, intact fibers, and the absence of chemical processing or restoration, conditions rarely encountered in circulating forgeries of this era. Read more →

United States 1854 - Empire City Bank 100 Dollars Proof (Pick NY1585G16P)

The central vignette depicts a steamship associated with the Collins Line, an elite American transatlantic shipping company whose vessels symbolized speed, technological progress, and commercial prestige during the 1850s. The imagery is widely understood to represent a steamer of the S.S. Arctic class. Contemporary evidence indicates that the Empire City Bank maintained connections with interests linked to the Collins Line, making the choice of this vignette a deliberate association between the bank’s highest denomination and themes of international commerce and reliability. Read more →

Cayman Islands 1974 - Cayman Islands Currency Board 1 Dollar Issued Note (Pick 5e)

This issued one dollar note of the Cayman Islands Currency Board belongs to the long-running series authorized under the Cayman Islands Currency Law of 1974, a framework that formalized the islands’ modern paper currency system while maintaining the Currency Board model of disciplined issuance. Although the note is dated 1974 in the series structure, the PMG label attribution indicates the later printing date as not dated 1985, reflecting a practice common to currency board emissions: a stable design and legal base date, paired with later printings as replacement and demand required during successive administrative terms. Read more →

Cayman Islands 1974 - Cayman Islands Currency Board 1 Dollar Issued Note (Pick 5d)

Certified PMG 68 Exceptional Paper Quality, this example represents the highest graded level recorded for this type, with no examples graded higher. The Top Pop designation is not incidental: it preserves the original sharpness of the engraved lines, exceptional paper surface integrity, and full design contrast on both faces. As such, this note stands as a reference-quality survivor of a common circulation issue, distinguished not by rarity but by technical preservation and its association with the Jefferson-signed printing phase of the Cayman Islands one dollar series. Read more →

Cayman Islands 1974 - Cayman Islands Currency Board 1 Dollar Specimen with Red Overprint (Pick 5as)

The defining invalidation on this example is a single bold red diagonal SPECIMEN overprint applied across the face of the note. This classic specimen format represents the standard presentation form used by Thomas De La Rue for institutional reference and controlled distribution. No additional invalidation devices are present: there are no oval NO VALUE stamps, no perforations, and no punch cancellations. The absence of secondary control marks distinguishes this example from later or more heavily invalidated specimen forms. Read more →

Cayman Islands 1974 - Cayman Islands Currency Board 1 Dollar Specimen with Perforated 'SPECIMEN OF NO VALUE' (Pick 5as)

The obverse preserves the complete production design of the issued one dollar note, including the engraved portrait of Queen Elizabeth the Second at right and the central denomination panel incorporating the Cayman Islands coat of arms. The serial format consists of an all-zero number sequence with prefix A/3, a configuration reserved exclusively for specimen handling and never used on issued notes. The engraved signature of V. G. Johnson, serving as Chairman of the Cayman Islands Currency Board at the time, situates this specimen within an earlier administrative phase of the 1974 series despite its later printing date. Read more →