Collection PL

Uruguay 1862 - Banco de Londres y Rio de la Plata 100 Pesos Specimen (Pick S245s)

Graded PMG 64 EPQ, this example ranks among the finest recorded for the type. It represents the approved master proof of Uruguay’s first internationally engraved banknote-where London’s precision met Montevideo’s new financial identity. Read more →

Bolivia 1904 - Banco Nacional 5 Bolivianos Specimen (Pick S2143s)

Specimens such as this provide the only opportunity to appreciate the note in its original state: crisp ink contrasts, strong intaglio detail, and intact margins, here preserved with perforated 'CANCELLED' markings. The vivid orange and black inks demonstrate BWC’s skill at combining color and linework for security and aesthetic effect. Read more →

Bolivia 1903 - Banco Agricola 5 Bolivianos Front Progressive Proof and Back Proof Pair (Pick S102pp1, S102p2)

The American Bank Note Company imprint is visible along the lower margin of the front, linking the design directly to the New York security printer responsible for the engraving and production work. The fine line engraving, dense border construction, denomination counters, ornamental lettering, layered security patterns, and triple CANCELLED control overprint document both the artistic and administrative handling of the proof. Read more →

Poland 1936 - 50 Zlotych Reverse Progressive Proof (Pick 78pp2)

The reverse artwork was executed under the artistic supervision of Wacław Borowski and engraved by Włodzimierz Vacek, two of the most accomplished figures in pre-war Polish graphic arts. It portrays an allegorical composition symbolizing the productive power of the nation - agriculture, industry, and the arts united under the newly reborn Republic. In the full design, this imagery was intended to balance the classical portrait of General Jan Henryk Dąbrowski on the face of the note, expressing the connection between patriotic tradition and modern progress. Read more →

Libya 1971 - Central Bank of Libya 10 Dinars Color Trial Specimen (Omar al-Mukhtar Portrait, Pick 37cts)

This color trial specimen represents a pre-issue production stage of the Central Bank of Libya 10 Dinars note introduced in 1971, prepared during the immediate post-monarchy redesign of the national currency. Following the establishment of the Libyan Arab Republic, royal imagery was formally removed and replaced with revolutionary-era symbolism, most prominently the portrait of Omar al-Mukhtar, positioned as a unifying national figure and ideological anchor of the new regime. Read more →

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. Read more →

Libya 1971 - Central Bank of Libya 10 Dinars Specimen (Omar al-Mukhtar Portrait, Pick 37s)

Specimen banknotes occupy a distinct position within the currency production and distribution process. They were not proofs and not intended for public circulation, but were produced after final plate approval to serve administrative and operational purposes. Copies were distributed to central bank departments, government ministries, regional bank branches, and international correspondents to standardize cash handling, verify security features, and familiarize staff with the new design prior to release. Read more →

Libya 1971 - Central Bank of Libya 10 Dinars Issued Note (Pick 37a, Without Arabic Inscription)

As an issued note, Pick 37a circulated normally and was subject to wear and redemption. High-grade examples with original paper quality are therefore less common than later standardized issues. Within the context of the 1971–1972 series, this variety represents the opening chapter of public circulation, capturing the moment when the new republican design first entered everyday monetary use. Read more →

Paraguay 1907 - 100 Pesos with 1912 State Overprint (Pick 134, Base Pick 159)

The 1912 overprint was not a decorative or routine bank marking. It was an emergency act of monetary authority. Paraguay entered 1912 under severe political and fiscal pressure, with civil unrest, weakened banking confidence, and a shortage of reliable circulating paper. Rather than waiting for an entirely new currency series to be prepared, the government turned to existing Banco de la República stocks and converted them into state-recognized obligations by means of a direct overprint. The oval “Emisión del Estado” stamp announced that the note was no longer merely an earlier bank issue, but had been accepted into the emergency monetary structure of the state. Read more →

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

No comparable photographic proofs of the 50 Dollars Thomas Cook Circular Note are presently documented in grading records, institutional collections, auction archives, or published references. This absence of parallels establishes the piece as a unique surviving example of its type and a primary reference artifact for the study of early international travel finance. 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)

The wording also directs attention to a "sight draft on back hereof," showing that the reverse formed an active part of the payment mechanism. The front and back therefore worked together as a complete financial instrument, with the face carrying identification, denomination, signature controls, and presentation instructions. Read more →