Collection PL

Australia 1879–1903 — Federal Bank of Australia, Limited £1 Specimen (Pick Unlisted) Unique

This specimen represents a one pound note prepared for the Federal Bank of Australia, Limited and printed by Bradbury, Wilkinson & Company in London during the bank’s short operational life between 1879 and 1903. It belongs to one of the most fragile and least documented chapters of Australia’s pre-Federation private banking era, when dozens of colonial banks issued their own paper currency under uneven regulation and extreme financial volatility. The Federal Bank of Australia commenced operations in 1881 and expanded aggressively during the speculative land-boom years of the late nineteenth century. ... Read more →

Argentina 1871 — Banco de Londres y Río de la Plata 10 Pesos Rosario Specimen No. 000001 (Pick Unlisted) Unique

This specimen represents an archival control note of the Banco de Londres y Rio de la Plata 10 Pesos issue prepared for the Rosario branch, dated Rosario, 10 de Noviembre de 1871, and printed by Bradbury, Wilkinson & Company in London. It was produced as part of the bank internal authorization and registration process for provincial issues and was never intended for circulation. The Banco de Londres y Rio de la Plata, incorporated in London in 1862, operated as a British controlled private bank with branches in Buenos Aires, Cordoba, Rosario, and Montevideo. ... Read more →

Libya 1971 — Central Bank of Libya 10 Dinars Specimen (Omar al-Mukhtar Portrait, Pick 37s) Unique

This specimen represents the official pre-issue specimen of the Central Bank of Libya 10 Dinars note introduced in 1971, the first high-denomination issue of the Libyan Arab Republic following the abolition of the monarchy. Bearing the red SPECIMEN overprint and zero control serials, the note documents the final approved design state immediately before full circulation printing commenced. Specimen banknotes occupy a distinct position within the currency production and distribution process. ... Read more →

Argentina 1876 — Banco de San Juan 1 Peso Fuerte Specimen (Pick S1880s) Unique

This specimen represents the sole documented control specimen of the Banco de San Juan 1 Peso Fuerte issue, printed in 1876 by Bradbury, Wilkinson & Company in London for one of Argentina’s provincially chartered banks during the formative period of regional monetary autonomy. It is not part of a surviving series, but a single archival output with no issued, proof, or parallel specimen counterparts known. The Banco de San Juan operated within the interior province of San Juan during a period when Argentina’s banking system was highly decentralized. ... Read more →

Argentina 1876 — Banco de San Juan 5 Pesos Fuertes Specimen (S1881s) Unique

This specimen represents the sole documented control specimen of the Banco de San Juan 5 Pesos Fuertes issue, printed in 1876 by Bradbury, Wilkinson & Company in London for the provincial Bank of San Juan. It is not part of a surviving series but a single archival output, with no issued, proof, or parallel specimen counterparts known. The Banco de San Juan operated within Argentina’s interior Andean province during a period when provincial banks exercised near-sovereign authority over local credit and currency issuance. ... Read more →