Collection PL

Brazil 1963 - Tesouro Nacional, Undated ‘Valor Legal’ Test Proof

This example, graded PCGS 53 PPQ (About New), represents an extremely rare survival of the developmental phase of Brazil’s printing program-an ephemeral but vital record of how the country’s currency evolved typographically before the definitive Cruzeiro issues of the later 1960s. Read more →

Brazil 1963 - Tesouro Nacional, Prefix Test Proof “Estampa 3ª Série 000a”

Graded PCGS 64 Very Choice New, this example provides a rare look into the behind-the-scenes workflow of Brazilian banknote production. While visually minimal, such sheets are indispensable documentation of the practical precision required in government printing offices of the era. Read more →

Brazil 1964 - 100 Cruzeiros Essay Face Proof (SCWPM 170b)

Created amid Brazil’s shift toward a new Cruzeiro standard following inflationary adjustments and political transition, this proof embodies a period of modernization in both economic structure and banknote aesthetics. Surviving examples of such essays are seldom encountered outside institutional archives, and they provide critical insight into how mid-century design philosophy merged artistry with practicality in Brazil’s monetary evolution. Read more →

Luxembourg 20 March 1970 - 100 Francs Face Photographic Proof Grand Duke Jean (Pick Unlisted)

Photographic proofs of this type were created to evaluate composition, spacing, and visual balance after the design had been finalized but before full production runs were executed. Unlike plate proofs, they do not reflect engraving depth or ink behavior, but instead serve as a precise visual reference for layout approval, typography alignment, and portrait positioning. Read more →

Luxembourg 24 February 1970 - 100 Francs Back Photographic Proof (Pick Unlisted)

The reverse design features a detailed architectural cityscape of Luxembourg, framed within a structured ornamental border. The monochrome format allows clear assessment of tonal hierarchy, perspective depth, and the relationship between central imagery and denomination markers. Every element is presented in its finalized positional form, confirming that the design had reached full compositional maturity at this stage. Read more →

Japan 1989 - Komori Currency Technology Intaglio Test Note Mr. Komori

Condition: PCGS 65 PPQ (Gem New) with problem-free paper and original paper quality noted, appropriate for a factory-retained exemplar. Read more →

El Salvador 1996 - 25 Colones Face Die Proof (Pick 149p)

Condition: PMG 65 PPQ (Gem New) with fully original paper, superb embossing, and no handling, consistent with archive storage. Read more →

El Salvador 1999 - 25 Colones Issued Note (Pick 155)

Printed by De La Rue on enhanced security paper featuring an embedded metallic thread, latent image devices, and complex guilloché. The design continues the 'Pirámide de San Andrés' motif with subtle updates: a deeper lower border hue, refined microtext, and newly engraved official signatures. Read more →

New Zealand 1934 - The Reserve Bank of New Zealand 10 Shillings Photographic Face Proof (Pick 154p)

This photographic face proof preserves the engraved design prepared for the first 10 Shillings banknote issued by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand following the creation of the central bank under the Reserve Bank Act of 1933. The proof represents the pre-press stage of the denomination, recording the completed engraving before the design was transferred to printing plates for circulation production. Read more →

New Zealand 1934 - The Reserve Bank of New Zealand 10 Shillings Issued Note (Pick 154)

The 10 Shillings banknote issued on 1 August 1934 forms part of the first national paper money series produced for the Reserve Bank of New Zealand after its establishment under the Reserve Bank Act of 1933. The creation of the Reserve Bank replaced the fragmented system of private trading bank notes with a unified national currency, marking a major milestone in the country’s monetary history. Read more →

United States 1948 - Republican National Convention Ticket Philadelphia, E.A. Wright Bank Note Co.

The 1948 Republican National Convention nominated New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey to face President Harry S. Truman in what became one of the most famous elections in U.S. history. Beyond its political significance, the ticket embodies a pivotal moment when banknote aesthetics and political imagery merged. It illustrates how the security printing discipline-engraving, guilloche, perforation, and plate registration-extended beyond finance into the cultural rituals of democracy. Today, it stands as both an artifact of the modern party system and a masterclass in mid-20th-century American engraving. Read more →

Poland 1926 - Bank Polski 10 Zlotych Archival Watermarked Paper (Miłczak 64)

This piece represents the base security paper manufactured for the early interwar 10 Zł notes before the final design was printed. It bears the undated watermark reading 'Bolesław Chrobry 10 ZŁ' (Milczak type), positioned diagonally across the sheet and visible when held to light. The watermark references Bolesław Chrobry, Poland’s first crowned king, whose image symbolized strength and continuity in the newly reborn Republic. Read more →