Collection PL

New Zealand 1985 — 100 Dollars S.T. Russell Signature Perforated SPECIMEN OF NO VALUE Serial YAC000000 (Pick 175bs)

The 1985 one hundred dollars perforated specimen represents a highly specialized internal control format from the final paper-currency series of New Zealand, issued within the ND (1985–1989) period under the signature of S.T. Russell as Chief Cashier. This series marks the closing phase of engraved paper production before the transition to polymer substrates. ... Read more →

New Zealand 1992 — 100 Dollars Rutherford Design Vertical Red SPECIMEN Overprint Printer-Annotated TDLR Specimen (Pick 181s)

The 1992 one hundred dollars specimen marks the introduction of the Rutherford design and the beginning of New Zealand’s final paper currency series before the transition to polymer. Issued by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand and printed by Thomas De La Rue & Company, London, this note replaces the long-standing Queen Elizabeth II portrait with Lord Ernest Rutherford of Nelson, symbolizing a decisive shift toward national scientific identity within the country’s banknote iconography. This example represents a complex internal printer specimen, combining multiple control and approval features rarely encountered together on a single note. ... Read more →

United States 1929 Type 1 - 10 Dollars National Bank Note - The Farmers National Bank of Sussex, New Jersey Charter 1221 (Fr. 1801-1)

The Farmers National Bank of Sussex, New Jersey, traces its charter to May 20 1865 when it opened in nearby Deckertown, a small agricultural hub in Sussex County. Chartered as number 1221, it succeeded the pre-existing Farmers Bank and quickly became the county’s central financial institution. The town adopted the name Sussex in 1903, prompting the bank’s title change the same year. ... Read more →

United States ca. 1970s – Giori Test Note – Jefferson Center, Black Front / Greenback Inverted Experimental Serial With Watermark

Experimental intaglio test note printed around the 1970s by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing on the Giori multicolor press system. Named for engineer Giovanni Giori, these sheets were used to evaluate multi-plate registration, color density, and press alignment on machinery that would later define modern currency production. The design known as the Jefferson Center joins engraved portraits of Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, and Ulysses S. ... Read more →

United States ca. 1970s – C.O.P.E. Experimental Test Note Serial A82432955A

Blank-format experimental note printed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing during the 1970s as part of internal testing for the C.O.P.E. (Currency Overprinting and Processing Equipment) program. This machinery represented a major modernization step in U.S. ... Read more →

United States 1874 – 25 Cents Fourth Issue Fractional Currency Allison | Spinner Watermarked Paper 40mm Red Seal (Fr.1301)

The Fourth Issue of fractional currency, introduced between 1869 and 1875, marked the culmination of America’s Civil War–era experiment with small-denomination paper money. This twenty-five cent note (Friedberg 1301) bears the engraved signatures of Treasury officials John Allison and Francis Spinner and was printed by the National Bank Note Company of New York under government contract. Fractional notes such as this filled the coin shortage caused by hoarding of gold and silver during and after the war. ... Read more →

United States 1872 – State of South Carolina $20 Revenue Bond Scrip Act of March 2 1872 Columbia Issue

The $20 Revenue Bond Scrip of the State of South Carolina, dated March 2, 1872, represents one of the most ornate and historically revealing fiscal issues of the Reconstruction era. Authorized by the Act of March 2, 1872, these notes were used by the state government to pay outstanding obligations and to serve as tax receipts during a period of severe post–Civil War financial strain. Printed by the American Bank Note Company in New York, the scrip combined fine engraving, symbolic imagery, and the technical artistry characteristic of the firm’s early 1870s production. ... Read more →

United States 1872 – State of South Carolina $50 Revenue Bond Scrip Act of March 2 1872 Columbia Issue

The fifty-dollar Revenue Bond Scrip authorized by the Act of March 2, 1872, stands among the most elaborate and symbolically charged notes of Reconstruction-era South Carolina. Produced by the American Bank Note Company of New York, these notes were issued to pay state obligations and to function as tax receipts, serving as both a medium of exchange and an assertion of solvency during a turbulent postwar decade. The design balances artistry and propaganda. ... Read more →

United States 1929 – American Bank Note Company Test Note, 10 Units, Green Series of 1929 With Watermark and Segmented Foil Security Thread

This engraved test note by the American Bank Note Company (ABNCo) represents one of the firm’s most enduring demonstration designs, known as the 'Series of 1929' specimen. Although dated 1929, these were printed decades later—primarily in the 1960s and 1970s—as house proofs and sales samples showcasing engraving precision, watermark technology, and later innovations such as foil-thread anti-counterfeiting devices. The layout follows classic ABNCo symmetry: a central allegorical portrait of Liberty, derived from earlier U.S. ... Read more →

United States 1929 – 10 Dollars Type 1 National Bank Note – The First National Bank of Taylorville, Illinois Charter 3579 (Fr.1801-1)

This Series 1929 Type 1 ten-dollar note from The First National Bank of Taylorville, Illinois (Charter 3579) is a national-level rarity and a true anomaly in U.S. banking history. The bank officially ceased operations in October 1929—barely months after the introduction of small-size National Bank Notes—making it one of the first casualties of the transition from large-size to small-size currency. ... Read more →

United States 1902 – 5 Dollars Large Size Plain Back National Bank Note – The Thomas County National Bank of Colby, Kansas Charter 13076 Error Note (Fr.609)

Organized in May 1927, The Thomas County National Bank of Colby, Kansas, was one of the last institutions chartered under the National Banking Act, entering the system just as small-town banks faced increasing consolidation pressures. Chartered as number 13076, it was led by cashier N. Reimers and president W. ... Read more →

United States 1996 — 50 Dollars Federal Reserve Note Chicago District Insufficient Inking Error (Friedberg 2126-G)

This 1996 50 Dollars Federal Reserve Note from the Chicago District (Friedberg 2126-G, AGB Block) demonstrates a dramatic Insufficient Inking Error affecting the left side of the obverse. The portrait of Ulysses S. Grant remains fully defined, yet the surrounding text, borders, and background show substantial ink loss, fading into near blankness. ... Read more →