Search Results for "security printing history" - Collection

Martinique 1870 Banque de la Martinique 1 franc unissued cheque, Saint-Pierre issue, unused condition

Martinique 1870 - Banque de la Martinique 1 Franc Unissued Cheque (Pick P.5A)

The printed text confirms receipt of one franc by the Banque de la Martinique, with the amount to be debited from the account of the named holder. The layout follows classic mid-19th-century French security printing conventions, with balanced typographic hierarchy, engraved ornamental borders, and floral corner motifs designed to deter alteration and counterfeiting. The denomination is expressed both numerically and in full text, reinforcing its accounting function rather than use as hand-to-hand currency. Read more →

MartiniqueUnissued Cheque18701 FrancUncirculated Unissued Cheque1 FrancBanque de la MartiniqueColonial Banking InstrumentFrench Colonial FinancePick P.5AColonial Banking HistoryFrench Overseas TerritoriesCaribbean Monetary History19th Century BankingDocumentary Financial InstrumentsSecurity Printing HistoryFrench Engraving TraditionMartinique1870Museum GradeR8 Extremely Rare

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Martinique 1870 Banque de la Martinique 1 franc cheque recovered from the ruins of Saint-Pierre after the 1902 Mount Pelée eruption, with contemporary handwritten provenance notes

Martinique 1870 - Banque de la Martinique 1 Franc Cheque Recovered After the 1902 Mount Pelée Eruption (Pick P.5A)

A Banque de la Martinique one franc cheque form, Pick P.5A, originally printed for use at Saint-Pierre during the late nineteenth century and later recovered from the ruins of the city following the catastrophic eruption of Mount Pelée on 8 May 1902. Although printed decades earlier as part of the bank’s standardized cheque issue, this surviving example was never negotiated as a financial instrument and instead entered history as a disaster-recovery relic, explicitly identified as such by contemporary handwritten annotations. Read more →

MartiniqueDisaster Recovery Cheque18701 FrancVery Fine Disaster Recovery Cheque1 FrancBanque de la MartiniqueMount Pelee EruptionSaint Pierre DestructionColonial Bank RuinsPick P.5AColonial Banking HistoryFrench Overseas TerritoriesCaribbean Monetary HistoryNineteenth Century BankingDisaster Recovered ArtifactDocumentary Financial InstrumentsSecurity Printing HistoryFrench Engraving TraditionMartinique18701902Museum GradeR9 Extremely RareUniqueAnnotationsHandwritten Annotations

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Portugal 1799 Real Erario 20000 reis apólice issued in Lisboa, serial number 37723 in red, blind embossed seal on the face, no red overprint present, with multiple official ink seals on the reverse

Portugal 1799 - Real Erario 20000 Reis Apólice, Original Issue, No Overprint, Lisboa No. 37723

This example belongs to the original issue phase of Portuguese treasury apólices and predates the period commonly associated with the War of the Brothers. It is not a later emergency, provisional, or conflict-era emission, but rather a product of the established pre-war fiscal system operating under stable royal administration. This distinction is structurally important, as later conflict-period instruments frequently exhibit different validation practices, heavier fiscal markings, and systematic overprinting linked to wartime controls. Read more →

PortugalPublic Debt Bond179920000 ReisVery Fine Public Debt BondApolice20000 ReisPayable to BearerBlind Embossed SealMultiple Reverse SealsNo OverprintOriginal IssuePre War of the BrothersReal ErarioLisboaPortuguese Treasury FinanceRoyal Era Fiscal PaperEighteenth Century State DebtAdministrative Validation SealsFiscal Control HistorySecurity Printing HistoryPortuguese Monetary HistoryPortugal17991811Museum GradeR9 Extremely Rare

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United States 1854 Empire City Bank 100 Dollars proof note, Collins Line steamship vignette, blank reverse with American Bank Note Company archival stamp, PMG Uncirculated 62 EPQ

United States 1854 - Empire City Bank 100 Dollars Proof (Pick NY1585G16P)

The Empire City Bank was organized in 1851 and operated during a highly unstable phase of New York banking history, characterized by aggressive credit expansion and the absence of a central banking authority. In early December 1854 the bank failed to meet its Clearing House obligations and was suspended, with formal receivership following in February 1855. Proof material associated with the bank must therefore predate its suspension, firmly placing this note within the closing chapter of the bank’s active life. Read more →

United StatesProof1854100 DollarsPMG Uncirculated 62 EPQ ProofProof Banknote100 DollarsHigh DenominationEmpire City BankABNCAmerican Bank Note CompanyArchival ProofPunch of CancellationAmerican Private BankingPre Civil War CurrencyNew York Banking HistoryNineteenth Century BankingSecurity Printing HistoryCollins Line Steamer VignetteUnited States1854Pick NY1585G16PPMG 62Museum GradeR8 Extremely Rare

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Italy 1781 Regie Finanze di Torino five scudi front proof sheet with two impressions from plate 1 and plate 2, visible plate numbers, deep intaglio bite, unique surviving proof sheet

Italy 1781 - Regie Finanze di Torino 5 Scudi Front Proof Sheet (Pick Unlisted)

This sheet contains two impressions of the five scudi front design produced from plates one and two and printed under full intaglio pressure on official paper stock. Plate identifiers are present within the design, confirming systematic plate-based production rather than decorative or commemorative printing. The impressions exhibit deep plate bite visible from the verso, consistent with working proof material. Read more →

ItalyProof17815 ScudiUncirculated ProofFront ProofProof Sheet5 ScudiRegie Finanze di TorinoPlate NumberedPlate 1Plate 2Kingdom of SardiniaSavoyard State FinanceEighteenth Century CurrencyItalian State Paper MoneyPre Central Bank EraSecurity Printing HistoryItaly1781Pick UnlistedMuseum GradeR9 Extremely RareUniqueUnique Proof Sheet

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Italy Regie Finanze di Torino 100 lire back proof sheet in pre-date control state from plate 2, full margins, undated control framework

Italy 1745 - Regie Finanze di Torino - 100 Lire Back Proof, Pre-Date Control State (Pick Unlisted)

The lower border carries the engraved plate identifier P.2, confirming production from plate number two and documenting systematic plate-based preparation. The sheet format preserves full margins and original plate context, confirming that the impression was never prepared for circulation or cutting. No serial numbers, handwritten entries, signatures, or issuance markings are present. Read more →

ItalyBack Proof1745100 LireUncirculated ProofBack ProofPre-Date Control State100 LireRegie Finanze di TorinoPlate 2Control FrameworkKingdom of SardiniaSavoyard State FinanceEighteenth Century CurrencyItalian State Paper MoneyPre Central Bank EraSecurity Printing HistoryItaly1745Museum GradeR9 Extremely RareUniquePick Unlisted

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Italy Regie Finanze di Torino 100 lire back proof sheet dated 1746 from plate 2, showing crowned Savoyard shield, laurel wreath, denomination cartouches, full legal text, and complete ornamental frame

Italy 1746 - Regie Finanze di Torino - 100 Lire Back Proof, Fixed-Date Control State (Pick Unlisted)

Below the central emblem, a ribbon bearing the inscription Regie Finanze integrates the heraldic and textual elements into a unified fiscal authority statement. The lower margin of the design carries the engraved plate identifier P.2, confirming production from plate number two and documenting systematic plate-based preparation rather than decorative or commemorative printing. Read more →

ItalyBack Proof1746100 LireUncirculated ProofBack ProofFixed-Date Control State100 LireRegie Finanze di TorinoPlate 2Control FrameworkKingdom of SardiniaSavoyard State FinanceEighteenth Century CurrencyItalian State Paper MoneyPre Central Bank EraSecurity Printing HistoryItaly1746Pick UnlistedMuseum GradeR9 Extremely Rare

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Italy Regie Finanze di Torino 100 lire front proof sheet from plate 2 dated 1765 showing landscape vignette with Savoyard shield, obligation text panels, denomination inscriptions, and full ornamental frame

Italy 1765 - Regie Finanze di Torino - 100 Lire Front Proof, Final Face State (Pick Unlisted)

This proof sheet represents the front of the one hundred lire denomination prepared for the Regie Finanze of the Kingdom of Sardinia and preserves the final face state dated Torino il p. Gen. 1765. The composition is engraved within a rectangular ornamental frame and printed under full intaglio pressure on official laid paper, with a clear plate impression visible from the verso. All elements originate from plate number two. Read more →

ItalyProof1765100 LireUncirculated ProofFront ProofFinal Face State100 LireRegie Finanze di TorinoPlate 2Kingdom of SardiniaSavoyard State FinanceEighteenth Century CurrencyItalian State Paper MoneyPre Central Bank EraSecurity Printing HistoryItaly1765Pick UnlistedMuseum GradeR9 Extremely Rare

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Cayman Islands Currency Board unissued photographic back proof for the one dollar denomination, circa 1970, showing a fully developed ornamental reverse design prepared as a standalone security printing surface

Cayman Islands 1970 - Cayman Islands Currency Board 1 Dollar Unissued Back Photographic Proof

The design presented here is organized around a symmetrical ornamental framework, with balanced cartouches and patterned fields arranged to stabilize the visual field and discourage counterfeiting. Line density, border weight, and spacing are carefully regulated, reflecting late twentieth century security printing standards in which photographic and photo-engraved proofs were employed to assess tonal contrast, line fidelity, and overall coherence before any final production decisions were made. Read more →

Cayman IslandsUnissued Design Proof19701 DollarPCGS 62 Unissued Design ProofPhotographic ProofBack ProofSecurity Printing1 DollarCurrency Board IssueBritish Caribbean Monetary HistoryLate Colonial Currency SystemsCurrency Design and Approval ProcessSecurity Printing HistoryCayman Islands1970Pick UnlistedPCGS 62Museum GradeR9 Extremely RareUnique

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Cayman Islands Currency Board 1 dollar specimen with red diagonal SPECIMEN overprint, two oval De La Rue NO VALUE control stamps, specimen number 024, serial prefix A/3 with all-zero serial and control number 024, single punch hole cancellation in the signature area, engraved signature of A. Jefferson as Chairman, turtle watermark, Pick 5bs, PMG 64 holder

Cayman Islands 1974 - Cayman Islands Currency Board 1 Dollar Specimen with Red Overprint & Oval Stamp (Pick 5bs)

This specimen note represents the one dollar denomination prepared for the Cayman Islands Currency Board under the Cayman Islands Currency Law of 1974 and was printed by Thomas De La Rue and Company Limited, with the PMG label attributing the production to a not dated 1985 printing. It was produced as a controlled reference specimen and permanently invalidated through a combination of overprint, printer-applied control stamps, and physical cancellation. Read more →

Cayman IslandsSpecimen with Red Overprint & Oval Stamp19741 DollarPMG 64 SpecimenSpecimen with Red OverprintRed OverprintOval NO VALUE StampDe La Rue Control StampsPunch CancelledSpecimen Tracking PanelSpecimen No. 024Serial Prefix A/3All Zero Serial NumberA. Jefferson SignatureTurtle Watermark1 DollarThomas De La Rue and Company LimitedCayman Islands Currency BoardCayman Islands Currency Law 1974Currency Board Monetary SystemBritish Overseas Territory CurrencySecurity Printing HistorySpecimen Control ProceduresCaribbean Monetary HistoryCayman Islands19741985PMG 64Museum GradePick 5bs

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Archival watermark paper prepared by Thomas De La Rue in London for the unissued 1928 Bank Polski 20 złotych banknote, featuring multitone watermark of Marynia Połaniecka after Piotr Stachiewicz, PMG certified 1921685-037, R9 Extremely Rare

Poland 1928 - Bank Polski 20 Zlotych Archival Watermarked Paper (Miłczak 67)

Archival watermarked paper prepared by Thomas De La Rue and Company Limited in London for the unissued Bank Polski 20 Zlotych banknote dated 2 January 1928. This piece preserves the original production substrate for the note: the security paper with multitone portrait watermark, before banknote printing. It is not a printed banknote, but a surviving archival component from one of the most important unrealized Polish banknote projects of the interwar period. Read more →

PolandArchival Watermarked Paper192820 ZlotychPMG Certified Archival PaperArchival Watermarked PaperWatermarked PaperWoman's Head WatermarkMarynia PołanieckaPiotr StachiewiczSteel EngravingStalorytUnissued DesignUnissued Banknote ProjectProduction SubstrateSecurity PaperThomas De La Rue and Company LimitedBank PolskiSecond Polish Republic CurrencyInterwar Polish BanknotesSecurity Printing HistoryMultitone WatermarkPortrait WatermarkLondon PrintingThomas De La Rue ArchivePolandPoland 1928192820 ZlotychMiłczak 67Museum GradeR9 Extremely Rare

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Cayman Islands Currency Board 5 dollars specimen with red diagonal SPECIMEN overprint, two oval De La Rue NO VALUE control stamps, specimen number 017, serial prefix A/1 with all-zero serial and control number 017, single punch hole cancellation in the signature area, engraved signature of A. Jefferson as Chairman, turtle watermark, Pick 6s, PMG 64 EPQ holder

Cayman Islands 1974 - Cayman Islands Currency Board 5 Dollars Specimen No. 017 with Red Overprint & Oval Stamp (Pick 6s)

The note carries the all-zero specimen serial format with prefix A/1 and the internal control number 017, accompanied by the printed tracking panel “SPECIMEN No. 017” at the lower margin. This serial and tracking architecture is not a circulation numbering system. It is administrative accounting, tying the piece to a managed specimen sequence rather than to a cash printing run. Read more →

Cayman IslandsSpecimen with Red Overprint & Oval Stamp19745 DollarsPMG 64 EPQ SpecimenSpecimen with Red OverprintRed OverprintOval NO VALUE StampDe La Rue Control StampsPunch CancelledSpecimen Tracking PanelSpecimen No. 017Serial Prefix A/1All Zero Serial NumberV. G. Johnson SignatureTurtle Watermark5 DollarsThomas De La Rue and Company LimitedCayman Islands Currency BoardCayman Islands Currency Law 1974Currency Board Monetary SystemBritish Overseas Territory CurrencySecurity Printing HistorySpecimen Control ProceduresCaribbean Monetary HistoryCayman Islands19741985PMG 64 EPQMuseum GradePick 6s

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