Collection PL

Australia 1877 — Mercantile Bank of Sydney £1 Specimen (Pick Unlisted)

A superb Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co. specimen from the early colonial banking era, this £1 note for the Mercantile Bank of Sydney survives today as the only documented example of its type. Certified PMG 66 EPQ Gem Uncirculated and recorded as Pop 1, it represents a unique surviving specimen of a private Australian bank whose issues rarely appear in any form. ... Read more →

Poland 1994, 50 Zlotych Specimen with Red Overprint & Oval Stamp AR Prefix (Pick Unlisted)

This AR-prefix specimen is a fully printed presentation example of the 50 zlotych banknote from Poland’s 1994 series, prepared by Thomas De La Rue for controlled institutional use. The note preserves the complete production design corresponding to the issued banknote and carries serial number AR0000000 together with the official signatures of the National Bank of Poland. A bold red diagonal SPECIMEN overprint spans the face of the note and is accompanied by two red oval NO VALUE stamps applied in the standard De La Rue format. ... Read more →

China 1915 — South Sinkiang Border Defence Headquarters 1 Tael Textile Emergency Issue (Pick Unlisted)

This 1 tael textile banknote represents a formally authorized military emergency issue produced in 1915 by the South Sinkiang Border Defence Headquarters during a period of severe administrative and monetary fragmentation in western China. Issued within the southern frontier zone encompassing Khotan, Yarkand, and Karghalik, the note reflects a localized system of fiscal control exercised by military authorities operating with substantial autonomy from central government structures. The banknote is printed on hand-woven textile rather than paper, a deliberate and practical choice dictated by frontier conditions. ... Read more →

Brazil 1963 — 1000 Cruzeiros (Specimen, Pick 181s, TDLR)

Specimen of the 1000 Cruzeiros printed by Thomas De La Rue & Company, London, bearing red SPECIMEN overprint, punch cancellations, and De La Rue’s oval control marks. The note is labeled Estampa 2A / Série 791A with zero serials, confirming its archival or approval status rather than an issued piece. The 1963 series was produced near the end of Brazil’s first Cruzeiro era, when inflation prompted increasingly higher denominations. ... Read more →

Brazil 1963 — 5 Cruzeiros (Specimen, Pick 176bs, TDLR, Top Pop)

Thomas De La Rue specimen of the 5 Cruzeiros denomination, showing red SPECIMEN overprint, circular punch cancels, and zero serials. Certified PMG 67 EPQ Superb Gem Uncirculated and noted Top Pop, this piece demonstrates the exceptional condition of De La Rue’s retained production samples. The 5 Cruzeiros was the entry-level note in the 1963 issue, combining classic British engraving motifs—crisp guilloche, strong vignette framing, and color separation—with Brazilian iconography. ... Read more →

Brazil 1963 — 100 Cruzeiros (Specimen, Pick 180s, TDLR)

Specimen of the 100 Cruzeiros printed by Thomas De La Rue & Co. Ltd., marked by a red SPECIMEN overprint, punch cancels, and De La Rue control ovals at the margin. Identified as Estampa 2A / Série 216A, this note typifies the elegant late-period Cruzeiro designs that bridged classic British engraving with emerging modernist trends in Brazilian note art. ... Read more →

El Salvador 1997 — 25 Colones Specimen (Pick 149as)

Official specimen of the 1997 25 Colones issue printed by De La Rue, catalogued as Pick 149as. Features red diagonal SPECIMEN overprint, oval control stamps, and circular perforation cancels. Specimens like this were distributed to issuing authorities, printers, and security archives for reference. ... Read more →

El Salvador 1999 — 25 Colones Specimen (Pick 155s)

Specimen note of the 1999 25 Colones issue, catalogued as Pick 155s. Printed by De La Rue with diagonal red SPECIMEN overprint, perforation cancels, and control stamps. This specimen represents the terminal proof stage of the 25 Colones before the introduction of the U.S. ... Read more →

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

Engraved admission ticket for the 1948 Republican National Convention, held June 21–25 at Philadelphia’s Convention Hall. Produced by the E.A. Wright Bank Note Company, a leading Philadelphia security printer, this ticket fuses political spectacle with the visual language of currency. ... Read more →

Poland 1919 — 1 Złoty WZÓR „Bez wartości” (Pick 51s)

Specimen of the 1 złoty from the 1919 reform issue, printed by Waterlow & Sons in London and featuring the same Kościuszko portrait as the circulating note. Series S.36 B. This official specimen carries the full set of trial cancellations: diagonal red overprint 'WZÓR.' (with dot) between parallel lines, 'Bez wartości' twice on each side, and two vertical perforations. ... Read more →

Ireland — Northern 2004 — Northern Bank £50 Specimen (Pick Unlisted NR126)

Specimen of the 2004 Northern Bank £50, printed by De La Rue for Northern Bank Limited, Belfast. This pre-issue design was the last note prepared before the bank’s December 2004 robbery, the largest cash theft in UK history. The note carries the red SPECIMEN overprint and the oval NO VALUE control stamps, serial DA000000 001, and watermark of Sir Samuel C. ... Read more →

Uruguay 1939 — Banco de la Republica Oriental del Uruguay 50 Pesos Series C Specimen (Pick 38bs)

Specimen of the 1939 50 Pesos, printed by Thomas De La Rue for the Banco de la Republica Oriental del Uruguay, Series C. Serial 00000000-9, watermark J. G. ... Read more →