Collection PL

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.

Argentina 1881 - Banco de la Provincia de Buenos Aires 2 Pesos Oro Proof (Pick S536fp)

The ABNC proof aesthetic is immediately recognizable: deep intaglio linework; elegant guilloché borders; idealized allegorical portraits; and sharply modeled central vignettes. The equestrian scene symbolizes movement, energy, and Argentina’s frontier identity, while the portraits of Varela and Alsina highlight the political leadership that shaped Buenos Aires’s institutional development. These design choices were calculated to project stability, legitimacy, and modernity to a public still shaken by recurring bank crises and provincial–national political conflict.

Libya 1971 - Central Bank of Libya Omar al-Mukhtar Intaglio Vignette Proof (Portrait Master for 10 Dinars Issue)

This intaglio vignette proof represents the master engraved portrait of Omar al-Mukhtar prepared for the Central Bank of Libya’s post-monarchy currency redesign introduced in 1971. The vignette constitutes a standalone production artifact, engraved independently of any completed banknote and intended for transfer into the face plate of the new 10 Dinars issue following final approval.

United States 1914 – 50 Dollars Federal Reserve Note – Philadelphia District White | Mellon (Fr.1035)

This fifty-dollar denomination carries the engraved portrait of President Ulysses S. Grant at center, flanked by allegorical vignettes symbolizing commerce and productivity. The reverse, titled 'Panama,' depicts a sweeping allegory of maritime trade celebrating America’s engineering triumph-the opening of the Panama Canal in 1914. It is one of the few note designs in U.S. history to feature an explicitly contemporary event, pairing the theme of economic expansion with the assertion of global reach.