Collection PL

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. Read more →

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

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. Davidson (1846-1921), the inventor and industrialist who founded Sirocco Engineering Works and appears on all high denominations of the series. Read more →

Ireland - Northern 2005 - Northern Bank £50 Specimen NR131 (Pick 208s)

Specimen of the redesigned 2005 Northern Bank £50, printed by Thomas De La Rue and issued under the new Northern Bank Limited branding after the December 2004 robbery. Serial JB000000, watermark Sir Samuel Davidson, and bold red SPECIMEN overprint across the face. This version was part of the printer’s formal reference and approval series prepared for bank and regulator use. Read more →

Uruguay 1939 - Banco de la Republica Oriental del Uruguay 50 Pesos Serie C Specimen, Specimen No. 9 (Pick 38bs)

Issued by the Banco de la Republica Oriental del Uruguay, this 1939 fifty pesos specimen preserves the completed Serie C form of one of the most visually distinctive denominations in Uruguay's interwar monetary program. Printed by Thomas De La Rue and Company Limited, the note carries all-zero serial numbers, the separately assigned designation Specimen No. 9, a diagonal red SPECIMEN overprint, and oval printer control stamps that establish its official reference status. Read more →

Uruguay 1939 (1967 Authorization) - Banco Central del Uruguay 50 Pesos Serie D Specimen, Specimen No. 2 (Pick 42As)

Issued under the authority of the Banco Central del Uruguay, this fifty pesos specimen preserves the established 1939 design in the form authorized for use following the creation of Uruguay's new central banking institution in 1967. Printed by Thomas De La Rue and Company Limited, the note carries the Serie D designation, all-zero serial numbers, the separately printed designation Specimen No. 2, a diagonal red SPECIMEN overprint, and oval printer control stamps applied across the completed design. Read more →

North Macedonia 1996 - 5000 Denari Specimen Maenad EA0000000 No. 006 (Pick 19s)

The note preserves the full design of the circulating denomination while being permanently invalidated through De La Rue’s specimen control procedures. A bold red diagonal SPECIMEN overprint crosses the face of the note, accompanied by an oval printer control stamp reading “DE LA RUE & CO LTD / NO VALUE.” Two punch cancellations are applied to the signature panel to ensure the note could never circulate as money while leaving the engraved composition fully visible for reference. Read more →

North Macedonia 1996 - 500 Denari Specimen Golden Death Mask GA0000000 No. 006 (Pick 17s)

The note displays the full set of Thomas De La Rue & Company specimen control devices. A bold red diagonal SPECIMEN overprint crosses the face of the note, accompanied by the oval printer control stamp reading “DE LA RUE & CO LTD / NO VALUE.” Two punch cancellations are applied in the signature area to prevent circulation while leaving the printed design clearly visible for inspection. These markings identify the note as a controlled reference example rather than a circulating instrument. Read more →

New Zealand 1967 - 100 Dollars Fleming Signature TDLR Overprint Specimen No. 9 Serial G000000009 (Pick 168as)

Printed by Thomas De La Rue & Company, London, this specimen was prepared for formal distribution to central banks and institutional archives. It displays the early and complete De La Rue presentation format: a bold diagonal red 'SPECIMEN' overprint, a De La Rue oval control stamp, and a single punch-hole cancellation applied through the central design. The note carries Serial G000000009 and is marked as Specimen No. 9, confirming its position within the controlled specimen allocation sequence. Read more →

New Zealand 1975 - 100 Dollars R.L. Knight Signature TDLR Overprint Specimen No. 004 Serial G000000004 (Pick 168bs)

Printed by Thomas De La Rue & Company, London, this specimen was produced as part of the formal external distribution program for central banks and institutional archives. It displays the complete De La Rue presentation format characteristic of the period: a bold diagonal red 'SPECIMEN' overprint, a De La Rue oval control stamp positioned on the face, and a double punch-hole cancellation applied through the lower central area. The note carries Serial G000000004 and is marked as Specimen No. 004, confirming its placement within a controlled specimen allocation sequence. Read more →

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

This example represents a complex internal printer specimen, combining multiple control and approval features rarely encountered together on a single note. The most visually striking element is the red 'SPECIMEN' overprint applied vertically from top to bottom across the portrait and central design. This orientation differs fundamentally from the standard diagonal format used on earlier De La Rue specimens, indicating a distinct production or presentation method within the 1992 issue. Read more →

Barbados 1980 - Government of Barbados 500 Dollars Treasury Bill, Specimen, Red Overprint, No Prefix

A bold diagonal red SPECIMEN overprint is applied across the face, clearly identifying the document as a specimen retained outside any circulation or settlement context. Read more →

Barbados 1980 - Government of Barbados 5,000 Dollars Treasury Bill, Specimen, Red Overprint, Punch Hole Cancelled, Prefix C

The note is printed in the official multicolour security design, featuring an ornate guilloche frame and a dense repeating “Government of Barbados” background pattern across the entire face. The denomination “$5,000” is clearly printed at lower left. A bold diagonal red SPECIMEN overprint is applied across the face, permanently identifying the document as a specimen prepared outside of any circulation context. Read more →