Collection PL

Poland 1919 - Bank Polski 1 Zloty Serial S.26C 070070 Issued Note (Pick 51)

The face presents a portrait of Tadeusz Kosciuszko within a circular engraved medallion at left. The Bank Polski title appears prominently above the denomination, while the date and printed signatures occupy the lower central field. Dense geometric ornament, fine guilloche work, and repeated corner denominations create a compact design suited to the lowest value in the inaugural series. Read more →

Poland 1919 - Bank Polski 1 Zloty Specimen S.36B 060793 with WZÓR and BEZ WARTOŚCI Overprints (Pick 51s)

This specimen preserves the production and control history of the first Bank Polski 1 Zloty issue. Series S.36B, serial 060793, and specimen control number 1893 identify an individual example of the 1919 issue prepared after independence and ultimately connected with the monetary reconstruction of 1924. Read more →

Poland 1940 - 20 Zlotych, Series N WWII London Counterfeit (Pick 95b)

Diversionary counterfeits were introduced in significant volume during the occupation, intended to erode public confidence in currency circulation. Today, genuine notes tied to these suspect serial ranges are both historically important and highly collectible, as they embody the unusual wartime interplay between monetary policy, sabotage, and survival. This Series N specimen captures that history in outstanding quality. Read more →

Poland 1940 - 500 Zlotych Series B Unfinished Print Fragment (Pick 98)

As surviving production material, the note offers an unusual view into the manufacture of Bank Emisyjny w Polsce currency during the Second World War. The relationship between the surviving Highlander watermark and the absent printed Highlander portrait adds a particularly clear visual record of what had and had not yet been completed. Combined with the otherwise undocumented 20xxxxx Series B numbering, it makes the note a significant research piece for reconstructing the production history of the 1940 500 złotych issue. Read more →

Ireland - Northern 2004 - Northern Bank £50 Specimen NR126 (Pick Unlisted)

Specimen of the 2004 Northern Bank £50, printed by De La Rue for Northern Bank Limited, Belfast. This pre-issue design was the last note prepared before the bank’s December 2004 robbery, the largest cash theft in UK history. The note carries the red SPECIMEN overprint and the oval NO VALUE control stamps, serial DA000000 001, and watermark of Sir Samuel C. Davidson (1846-1921), the inventor and industrialist who founded Sirocco Engineering Works and appears on all high denominations of the series. Read more →

Uruguay 1939 - Banco de la Republica Oriental del Uruguay 50 Pesos Serie C Specimen, Specimen No. 9 (Pick 38bs)

A broad diagonal red SPECIMEN inscription crosses the central field while preserving the visibility of the denomination, portrait, watermark area, and major security elements. Oval red printer control stamps appear at the upper left and lower right. These markings create a balanced two-point control arrangement and identify the piece as an officially prepared specimen under the authority of Thomas De La Rue and Company Limited. Read more →

Uruguay 1939 (1967 Authorization) - Banco Central del Uruguay 50 Pesos Serie D Specimen, Specimen No. 2 (Pick 42As)

The note occupies an important position in the institutional history of Uruguayan paper money. Its visual design originated with the issue authorized under the law of 2 January 1939, when note issuance remained associated with the Departamento de Emision of the Banco de la Republica Oriental del Uruguay. Following the establishment of the Banco Central del Uruguay in 1967, the denomination continued through a new authorization while retaining the familiar artistic and technical structure developed for the earlier series. Read more →

North Macedonia 2003 - 500 Denari Issued Note DA8148021 Golden Death Mask (Pick 21a)

Within the broader development history of the denomination, the 2003 issue demonstrates the continuity of the design established in the inaugural 1996 series. Earlier production stages documented for the denomination include engraving die proofs and De La Rue printer specimens prepared during the original design program. The 2003 printing preserves the same iconographic structure while representing a later circulation phase of the banknote. Read more →

New South Wales 1865 - Embossed 'ONE HALF PERCENT' Stamp Duty Fiscal Proof Specimen

This archival embossed proof was prepared for the Treasury of the Colony of New South Wales in 1865 as part of the design approval process for official stamp duty revenue paper. The piece displays the crowned colonial arms surrounded by a laurel wreath with the inscription 'ONE HALF PERCENT', executed in colourless embossing and framed by printer’s blue layout guide lines with a printed 'Specimen' designation. Read more →

Italy 1871 - Germania with Shield and Spear Vignette Die Proof Used on 500 Lire (Pick PS977)

The proof reference PS977 identifies the design’s later appearance in the 500 Lire proof prepared for the Banca Italo-Germanica. Within the banknote production chain, such vignette impressions represent one of the earliest surviving stages of the design process, preceding plate assembly, color separation, and final printing. Read more →

United States 1830s - Pennsylvania, Philadelphia - Penn Township Savings Institution 10 Cents Proof (Unlisted)

This engraved proof note was prepared for the Penn Township Savings Institution of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during the early 1830s. Rather than serving as circulating currency, the document represents a fractional savings deposit certificate issued by one of the many mutual savings institutions that emerged in American cities during the early nineteenth century. Read more →

Mexico 1915 - Ayuntamiento de Zitácuaro 10 Centavos Uncut Sheet of Four M2952c (Pick Unlisted)

The design itself is intentionally simple, consisting of bold typography within a rectangular border bearing the inscription 'AYUNTAMIENTO DE LA H. ZITÁCUARO.' The abbreviation 'H.' stands for 'Honorable,' the formal designation of the municipal council, emphasizing that the issue was authorized by the local government rather than by private merchants. The denomination '10 Centavos' appears prominently to ensure quick recognition in daily transactions. Read more →