Collection PL

Ireland 1920 - Ulster Bank Limited 1 Pound Proof (Pick 388p / UB39)

The printer imprint at the lower margin reads Charles Skipper and East Limited, London, identifying the specialist security printer responsible for the engraved proof. PMG records only one graded example for Pick 388p, and this PMG 64 Choice Uncirculated proof is that sole recorded example. Its population 1 status places it at the highest visible rarity level for the catalog number and supports its classification as an R9 Extremely Rare proof survivor. Within the Ulster Bank Limited sequence, it stands as the earlier completed proof counterpart to the later Northern Ireland proof and specimen material, including the Pick 306p design family. Read more →

Great Britain c.1806–1812 - Derby Bank £5 Proof (Pick Unlisted)

Graded PMG 63 Choice Uncirculated, this example preserves sharp plate impressions, strong black ink, and intact original paper, offering an unusually clear window into early nineteenth-century engraving practice. It documents the moment when British banknote production was shifting from artisanal engraving toward the systematic security printing methods that would later be perfected by firms such as Perkins, Bacon & Company. Read more →

Great Britain 1904 - Thomas Cook & Son $50 Circular Note Photographic Proof (Pick Unlisted)

In modern terms, the same financial logic survives today in debit and credit card systems: pre-funded or credit-backed instruments, globally recognized, with identity verification performed electronically rather than by handwritten signature. The medium has changed, but the underlying concept of secure, portable purchasing power for international travel remains identical. Read more →

Great Britain 1922 - Thomas Cook and Son 5 Pounds Travellers Cheque Photographic Proof (Pick Unlisted)

This example is a photographic proof, a distinct proofing format used to capture and evaluate the engraved face before commitment to full production printing. Photographic proofs were employed to assess engraving clarity, ornamental balance, typographic hierarchy, denomination placement, portrait treatment, and the overall visual integrity of the design. The sepia-toned image preserves the Thomas Cook and Son title banner, large denomination devices, dense geometric background, portrait vignette, payment wording, and signature areas in a clean production-review state. Read more →

Great Britain 1923 - Thomas Cook & Son Travellers Cheque 100 Rupees Photographic Proof (Pick Unlisted)

At present, no other photographic proofs of the 100 Rupees Thomas Cook Travellers Cheque from this period are documented in grading census records, auction archives, institutional collections, or published references. No second example has been produced or observed. This establishes the piece as a unique visible example of its specific type. Read more →

Paraguay 1907 - Banco de la República 100 Pesos Issued Note (Pick 159)

Certified PMG 66 EPQ Gem Uncirculated, this issued Pick 159 stands as a museum-grade reference example for early Paraguayan paper money. It is the clean base against which the 1912 single-side state overprint and the dual-side state and treasury revalidation can be compared. For a collector or researcher studying Paraguay’s transition from the 1907 Banco de la República issue to the emergency monetary actions of 1912, this note is not simply an attractive issued example. It is the foundation piece. Read more →

Italy 1869 - Credito Agricolo della Cassa di Risparmio in Bologna 30 Lire Specimen (Pick Unlisted)

Graded PMG 63 Choice Uncirculated and designated Top Pop, this note combines first-number pedigree, unique survival status, and institutional importance. It represents a foundational artifact of Italy’s early cooperative and agricultural credit systems, directly tied to the financial infrastructure that later evolved into the nationwide Credito Cooperativo network. Read more →

Italy 1869 - Bradbury, Wilkinson and Company Portrait of Man for Credito Agricolo della Cassa di Risparmio in Bologna 30 Lire Design Intaglio Vignette

The imprint of Bradbury Wilkinson and Company, Engravers, London, confirms its origin within one of the most important security printing firms of the period. Their involvement underscores the reliance of continental European financial institutions on British engraving expertise during the early development of modern banking systems. Read more →

Luxembourg 1982 - 1000 Francs Specimen Grand Duchess Charlotte (Pick 52bs)

Graded PMG 67 EPQ Superb Gem Uncirculated, this example stands as Top Population, with no higher-graded examples recorded. The combination of elite condition, top denomination status, and its role within an unissued national series elevates it from a specimen into a defining reference piece of Luxembourg’s late twentieth-century monetary history. Read more →

Luxembourg 1982 - 1000 Francs Color Trial Specimen Grand Duchess Charlotte (Pick 52bcts)

Color trial specimen of the 1982 one thousand francs issue of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, representing the experimental color phase of the highest denomination prepared within this contingency series. As the top denomination, the 1000 Francs carries the full complexity of the design system, and in color trial form, it exposes the decision layer behind the final adopted palette. Read more →

Luxembourg 1982 - 1000 Francs Proof Grand Duchess Charlotte (Pick 52bp)

Graded PMG 55 EPQ About Uncirculated, this example is Top Population 1 of 1, with no other graded examples recorded. As the sole certified proof of the highest denomination in an unissued national series, it represents a unique reference point within Luxembourg’s modern monetary history. Read more →

Luxembourg 1982 - 500 Francs Specimen Grand Duchess Charlotte (Pick 52as)

This example carries serial number A000000 096, presented in standard specimen format with duplicated placement at left and right. A red diagonal 'SPECIMEN' overprint is applied across the central design, accompanied by two punch-hole cancellations positioned through the lower signature area. These elements confirm its role as a controlled specimen used for production validation and internal reference. Read more →