Search Results for "history" - Collection

Australia 1880–1910 Commercial Bank of Australia £100 specimen, PMG 64 Choice Uncirculated

Australia 1880–1910 - Commercial Bank of Australia £100 Specimen (Pick Unlisted)

Pick Unlisted and absent from major catalogues, this note represents the intersection of rarity, artistry, cultural history, and financial significance. As a design artifact, a Chinese-Australian commercial document, a surviving record of deliberate 19th-century financial localization, and a financial relic from the end of Australia’s private-banknote era, this piece is an educational cornerstone for advanced Commonwealth collections and a critical reference in the study of pre-federation monetary history. Read more →

AustraliaSpecimen1880100 PoundsPMG 64 Choice Uncirculated Specimen100 PoundsHigh DenominationCommercial Bank of AustraliaBradbury WilkinsonBWCSands & McDougallColonial SpecimenBilingualChinese-EnglishPick UnlistedColonial Banking HistoryAustralian Private BanknotesPre-Notes Act Era19th Century BankingMulticultural Trade NetworksSecurity Printing HistoryBritish Engraving InfluenceAustralian Monetary HistoryAustralia188019101880–1910PMG 64Museum GradeR9 Extremely RareUniqueAnnotationsHandwritten Annotations

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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 PMG 55 About Uncirculated grade is exceptionally high for a large-format, soft-paper audit specimen. With Pop 1/1 status and no evidence of any additional audit-range examples in institutional or private holdings, this piece stands as the definitive reference for the BNZ £20 issue and a cornerstone artifact of New Zealand’s pre–Reserve Bank monetary history. 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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Australia 1877 City of Melbourne Bank Limited £20 specimen engraved by Bradbury Wilkinson, PMG 62 Uncirculated, unique surviving example

Australia 1877 - City of Melbourne Bank Limited £20 Specimen (Pick Unlisted)

This specimen preserves the full engraved layout exactly as produced, without circulation wear, providing an intact reference for typography, guilloché geometry, and denomination treatment that is otherwise lost to history. Its survival illustrates the hybrid production model of the era, in which London engravers supplied master plates while colonial banks adopted imagery reflecting local identity and economic ambition. Read more →

AustraliaSpecimen187720 PoundsPMG 62 Uncirculated Specimen20 PoundsCity of Melbourne Bank LimitedBradbury WilkinsonBWCPick UnlistedColonial SpecimenEngraved Security PrintingAustralian Private BanknotesVictoria Banking HistoryPre-Federation FinanceGold Rush Era BankingSecurity Printing History19th Century BankingAustralian Monetary HistoryAustraliaVictoria1877PMG 62Museum GradeR9 Extremely RareUnique

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Bradbury, Wilkinson and Company 1877 Portrait of Woman intaglio vignette proof, printer's library design element associated with the City of Melbourne Bank Limited 20 Pounds colonial Australian banknote design

Australia 1877 - Bradbury, Wilkinson and Company Portrait of Woman Intaglio Vignette Proof for City of Melbourne Bank Limited 20 Pounds Design (Pick Unlisted)

The lower margin carries the Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co. London imprint together with the number 40. Preserved independently from borders, denomination devices, issuer lettering and other elements of the completed note, the vignette allows the engraved portrait to be examined as an individual production component. Read more →

AustraliaVignette Proof1877Reference VignetteArchival Intaglio Proof Vignette ProofIntaglio Vignette ProofPortrait VignettePortrait of WomanEngraved PortraitPrinter's Library ElementPrinter's Design ArchiveProduction Stage ArtifactStandalone VignetteReference VignetteCity of Melbourne Bank Limited Design Source20 Pounds Design SourceBradbury, Wilkinson and CompanyBradbury, Wilkinson and Company LondonLondon Security PrinterIntaglio PrintingIntaglio EngravingSecurity EngravingBanknote PrintingSecurity PrintingPrivate Banknote ProductionProofing and Plate ApprovalDesign Verification ArtifactPick UnlistedAustralian Banking HistoryAustralian Colonial BankingPre Federation AustraliaVictoria Banking HistoryCity of Melbourne BankCity of Melbourne Bank LimitedColonial VictoriaPrivate Banknote TraditionNineteenth Century Paper MoneyVictorian Era EngravingHistoryAustraliaVictoria1877R9 Extremely RareUniqueMuseum Grade

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Poland 1994 50 Złotych front proof, Pick 175ap1, PMG 63 Choice Uncirculated, final approved obverse design by Thomas De La Rue

Poland 1994 - 50 Zlotych Front Proof (Pick 175ap1)

Only one certified example of this front proof is known. No additional specimens have been documented in institutional collections or private holdings. On the basis of verifiable grading and archival records, this proof qualifies as R9 - unique. It stands as the primary reference artifact for the obverse design of the 1994 50 Złotych and a cornerstone document of Poland’s modern banknote production history. Read more →

PolandFront Proof199450 ZłotychPMG 63 Choice Uncirculated (Front Proof, Top Pop 1/1) Front ProofPick 175ap1Thomas De La RueTDLRNarodowy Bank PolskiKazimierz WielkiCasimir the GreatModern Polish BanknotesRedenomination SeriesPoland1994PMG 63Top PopR9 Extremely RareUniqueMuseum Grade

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Australia 1877 Mercantile Bank of Sydney £1 specimen with red ONE overprint, Pick Unlisted, printed by Bradbury Wilkinson & Co., graded PMG 66 EPQ Gem Uncirculated Pop 1, only known example

Australia 1877 - Mercantile Bank of Sydney £1 Specimen (Pick Unlisted)

Produced in London by Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co., the note displays the firm’s finely controlled intaglio characteristic of the 1870s: geometric borders, elaborate guilloches, and a bold typographic layout. The large red overprint “ONE” identifies it as an internal specimen, intended for reference or approval rather than circulation. Its pristine surfaces, confirmed by PMG’s Exceptional Paper Quality designation, reflect its archival preservation and the superior paper stock used for BWC’s specimen and proof work. Read more →

AustraliaSpecimen18771 PoundPMG 66 EPQ Gem Uncirculated (Pop 1) Specimen1 PoundPick UnlistedRed OverprintColonial Private BankBradbury WilkinsonBWCMercantile Bank of SydneyNew South Wales Banking History19th Century FinanceAustralian Private IssuesSecurity Printing HistoryColonial PeriodAustralia1877Only Known ExampleR9 Extremely RareUniquePop 1Top PopPMG 66 EPQGem UncirculatedMuseum Grade

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Australia Federal Bank of Australia Limited one pound Sydney specimen printed by Bradbury Wilkinson, annotated 1882, PMG 64 Choice Uncirculated

Australia 1879–1903 - Federal Bank of Australia, Limited £1 Sydney Specimen (Pick Unlisted)

A pencilled annotation reading “9 May 82” appears on the note. Such annotations are rarely preserved on specimen material and provide valuable documentary evidence of how reference notes were handled during the working life of a banknote design. Specimens were commonly retained in printer archives, banking offices, or presentation sets used during the approval and distribution process. Handwritten notes added during this process form part of the historical record of the object itself. In this case, the annotation confirms that the specimen was already in institutional reference use by 1882, within the earliest operational period of the Federal Bank of Australia. Read more →

AustraliaSpecimen18791 PoundPMG 64 Choice Uncirculated (Annotated, Top Population) Specimen Banknote1 PoundPrinter SpecimenAnnotated SpecimenExport Engraved NoteLarge Format BanknoteBradbury WilkinsonBWCBritish Security PrintingVictorian Era EngravingPrivate Banknote ProductionFederal Bank of Australia LimitedAustralian Private BanksPre Federation AustraliaSydney Banking HistoryVictorian Banking Crisis1893 Banking CollapseAustraliaSydney187919031879–1903Pick UnlistedTop PopMuseum GradeR9 Extremely RareUniqueAnnotationsHandwritten Annotations

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Poland 1926 10 Złotych remainder Pick 65br with Bolesław Chrobry 992–1025 portrait watermark, PMG 40 Extremely Fine

Poland 1926 - 10 Zlotych Remainder Bolesław Chrobry 992–1025 Watermark (Pick 65br)

The portrait watermark featuring Poland’s first crowned king was introduced within a specific historical and symbolic framework. Its adoption followed the nationwide commemorations of 1925, marking the 900th anniversary of Bolesław Chrobry’s coronation and death. Within the visual language of the Second Polish Republic, the motif formed part of a broader state program that deliberately embedded national history into monetary design, paralleling similar iconographic choices in contemporary coinage. Read more →

PolandRemainder192610 złotychPMG 40 Extremely Fine RemainderBank Polski10 ZlotychPortrait WatermarkBoleslaw Chrobry992–10251926 Banknote IssueSecond Polish RepublicState SymbolismWatermark HistoryPoland1926Museum GradeR9 Extremely RareUniquePick 65brMilczak 64PMG 40

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Poland 1994 50 Zlotych discovery AR prefix approval specimen without overprints, serial AR0000000, red vertical control numbering, final issued-style design, and Thomas De La Rue production origin.

Poland 1994 - 50 Zlotych Discovery AR Prefix Approval Specimen Without Overprints (Pick Unlisted)

Discovery AR-prefix approval specimen of the 50 Zlotych banknote from the 1994 Polish issue, bearing serial number AR0000000. The piece documents a previously unrecorded AR-prefix approval-stage form within the production record of the series. Read more →

PolandApproval Specimen Without Overprints199450 ZlotychUncirculated Approval SpecimenApproval Specimen Without OverprintsApproval-Stage SpecimenDiscovery AR PrefixDiscovery PrefixDiscovery MaterialProduction-Stage DiscoverySpecimenUncataloguedUnlisted Approval PrefixAR PrefixSerial AR0000000Zero Serial NumberRed Vertical Control NumberingThomas De La RueTDLRMilczak AA Listed Without ImageMilczak Unlisted AR PrefixPick UnlistedPreviously Undocumented AR PrefixApproval Prefix EvidencePhysical Approval SpecimenHidden Approval MaterialPoland Currency Redesign 1994National Bank of PolandNarodowy Bank PolskiModern Polish BanknotesSecurity Printing HistoryDesign Approval ProcessPre Issue Control NotePrinter Approval MaterialFinal Issued-Style DesignKing Casimir III the GreatKazimierz WielkiAndrzej HeidrichHanna Gronkiewicz-WaltzWieslaw BiernatowiczPolandPoland 1994199450 ZlotychMuseum GradeR9 Extremely RareUnique

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Poland 1994 50 Zlotych discovery AR prefix specimen with red SPECIMEN overprint, red oval NO VALUE stamps, punch cancellations, serial AR0000000, De La Rue specimen-control number 005, and Thomas De La Rue specimen tracking panel.

Poland 1994 - 50 Zlotych Discovery AR Prefix Specimen with Red Overprint and Oval Stamp (Pick Unlisted)

Produced by Thomas De La Rue in London for the National Bank of Poland, the note uses Andrzej Heidrich's final 1994 design with layered guilloche fields, Gothic ornamental structure, detailed value panels, and the King Casimir III the Great watermark. Read more →

PolandSpecimen with Red Overprint and Oval Stamp199450 ZlotychPMG 66 EPQ Gem Uncirculated SpecimenDiscovery AR PrefixDiscovery PrefixDiscovery MaterialProduction-Stage DiscoveryRed OverprintRed SPECIMEN OverprintOval NO VALUE StampPunch CancelledSpecimen Tracking PanelDe La Rue Specimen Control Number 005Specimen Control Number 005Control Number 005Unique Specimen Control NumberAR PrefixSerial AR0000000Zero Serial NumberThomas De La RueTDLRMilczak UnlistedPick UnlistedMilczak Unlisted AR PrefixPreviously Undocumented AR PrefixAR Prefix Specimen EvidencePhysical Specimen Control FormPoland Currency Redesign 1994National Bank of PolandNarodowy Bank PolskiModern Polish BanknotesSecurity Printing HistorySpecimen Control ProceduresPre Issue Control NotePrinter Control MaterialFinal Issued-Style DesignKing Casimir III the GreatKazimierz WielkiAndrzej HeidrichHanna Gronkiewicz-WaltzWieslaw BiernatowiczPolandPoland 1994199450 ZlotychPMG 66 EPQMuseum GradeR9 Extremely RareUnique

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Poland 1994 50 Zlotych discovery AR prefix specimen perforated SPECIMEN OF NO VALUE, serial AR0000000, with handwritten archive date 30.4.96, printer annotations, and Thomas De La Rue production origin.

Poland 1994 - 50 Zlotych Discovery AR Prefix Specimen Perforated SPECIMEN OF NO VALUE (Pick Unlisted)

This AR-prefix perforated specimen is a direct production artifact from the 1994 banknote program. Its AR0000000 serial, SPECIMEN OF NO VALUE perforation, archival annotations, Thomas De La Rue production origin, and complete final design document a previously unrecorded specimen form within the production history of the series. Read more →

PolandDiscovery AR Prefix Specimen Perforated SPECIMEN OF NO VALUE199450 ZlotychUncirculated SpecimenDiscovery AR PrefixDiscovery PrefixDiscovery MaterialProduction-Stage DiscoveryPerforated SpecimenPerforated SPECIMEN OF NO VALUESpecimen of No ValuePrinter AnnotationsHandwritten Archive Date30.4.96AR PrefixSerial AR0000000Zero Serial NumberThomas De La RueTDLRMilczak UnlistedPick UnlistedMilczak Unlisted AR PrefixPreviously Undocumented AR PrefixAR Prefix Specimen EvidencePhysical Specimen Control FormDe La Rue Archival ControlPoland Currency Redesign 1994National Bank of PolandNarodowy Bank PolskiModern Polish BanknotesSecurity Printing HistorySpecimen Control ProceduresPre Issue Control NotePrinter Control MaterialFinal Issued-Style DesignKing Casimir III the GreatKazimierz WielkiAndrzej HeidrichHanna Gronkiewicz-WaltzWieslaw BiernatowiczPolandPoland 1994199450 ZlotychMuseum GradeR9 Extremely RareUniqueAnnotationsHandwritten Annotations

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Italy 1871–1872 - Banca Italo-Germanica 250 Lire Specimen (Pick S976s)

Produced by Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co. in London during the early stages of their European expansion, the engraving reflects a transitional moment in BWC’s development from commercial engravers into one of the world’s premier security printers. The deeply cut guilloches, vast empty margins, and sculptural allegory of Standing Italia exhibit a sophistication rarely seen on private Italian issues of the period. BWC’s design language of the 1870s-ornate, aspirational, and technically ambitious-foreshadows the company’s later dominance in colonial and European banknote engraving. As an artifact of design history alone, this note marks one of the earliest intersections between British engraving expertise and the newly unified Italian state. Read more →

ItalySpecimen1871250 LirePMG 64 (Top Pop) Private BankOversizedSpecimenDouble Punch HolePunch Cancelled250 LireEngraved Security PaperProof and Archive PieceBradbury WilkinsonBWCPick S976sItalian StatesPost Unification ItalyItalian Banking HistoryFailed Banknote IssuesGerman Capital in Italy19th Century FinanceNational AllegorySecurity Printing HistoryRome Banking ExperimentsUnissued Banknote ProjectItaly1871PMG 64Top PopR9 Extremely RareUniqueMuseum Grade

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