Collection

Italy 1871–72 — Banca Italo-Germanica 250 Lire (Specimen)

Oversized specimen of the short-lived Banca Italo-Germanica, engraved in the immediate aftermath of Italian unification. Founded in Rome with German capital, the bank intended to position itself as a bridge between northern European finance and the new Kingdom of Italy. In practice, its note-issuing project never advanced beyond archival and presentation pulls—no issued examples are known. ... Read more →

Argentina 1884 — El Banco del Chaco 1 Peso Moneda Nacional Oro (Serial 15849)

Issued provincial note from El Banco del Chaco, Villa Ocampo branch, dated 1 Octubre 1884, printed by Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co., London, under Argentina’s Ley de Bancos Garantidos system. Hand-signed, Series I, serial 15849. The allegorical female personifies Agriculture, flanked by a dog and bull symbolizing loyalty, vigilance, and strength. ... Read more →

Argentina 1884 — El Banco del Chaco 1 Peso Moneda Nacional Oro (Serial 05056, Fragmented Example)

Partial issued note of El Banco del Chaco’s 1 Peso Moneda Nacional Oro, dated 1 Octubre 1884 and printed by Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co., London, for the Villa Ocampo branch under the Ley de Bancos Garantidos provincial charter. The vignette centers on an allegory of Agriculture symbolizing prosperity and labor, flanked by a dog and bull for loyalty and strength—one of BWC’s finest small-format engravings for South America. Although the upper-right corner is missing, this early-serial piece (No. ... Read more →

Great Britain c.1806–12 — Derby Bank £5 (Proof)

Private-bank proof for Derby Bank, engraved and printed during the early mechanized-engraving era of Perkins & Heath, circa 1806–1812. This design reflects the formative period of British security printing when provincial banks commissioned bespoke copper and early steel plates for limited circulation. The note carries intricate calligraphic text, a bank crest, and the London payable line referencing Samuel Smith & Co., typical of pre-Banking-Act private issues that preceded national standardization. ... Read more →

Italy 1869 — Credito Agricolo di Bologna 30 Lire (Specimen)

Specimen of the 30 Lire issue from the Credito Agricolo di Bologna, produced by Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co. during the consolidation years of Italian unification. The denomination itself—30 Lire—is highly unusual and appears linked to agricultural credit schemes and rural cooperative lending. ... Read more →

Italy 1866 — Credito Fondiario di Bologna 50 Lire (Specimen)

Specimen proof of the 50 Lire issue from the Credito Fondiario di Bologna, engraved by Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co. and dated 1866. Credito Fondiario institutions specialized in long-term, mortgage-backed lending—a key innovation in Italy’s financial system, providing stability and funding for agricultural and urban development at a time when the new Kingdom was still economically fragmented. ... Read more →