Collection PL

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. 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. Read more →

Poland 1919 - Bank Polski 1 Zloty Specimen S.36B 060793 with WZÓR and BEZ WARTOŚCI Overprints (Pick 51s)

Bank Polski 1 Zloty specimen dated 28 February 1919, bearing series S.36B, serial number 060793, and specimen control number 1893. The note carries red WZÓR. and Bez wartości. overprints on both sides, together with two large circular perforations arranged vertically through the central field. 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 Perforated SIN VALOR Specimen with Specimen Number 000235 (Pick 38s)

Specimen of the 50 Pesos dated 22 January 1939 for the Departamento de Emision del Banco de la Republica Oriental del Uruguay, printed by Thomas De La Rue, London. This specimen carries the red ESPECIMEN overprint, the perforated cancellation reading 'SIN VALOR', and multiple circular punch holes applied by Thomas De La Rue as part of printer archive control. Serial 00000000, Series C. Watermark Jose Gervasio Artigas. 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 Photographic Transparency Essay (Maenad Vignette)

Within the documented production sequence of the denomination, this photographic transparency represents the earliest surviving stage of the banknote’s creation. Later phases include printer specimens carrying specimen overprints and control markings, followed by the fully issued circulation notes produced for the National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia. 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 →

Ireland - Northern 1977 - Bank of Ireland Limited £1 Specimen PR101 (Pick 247as)

Specimen £1 of the Bank of Ireland Limited, dated 1 January 1977 and printed by Thomas De La Rue. The obverse features the youthful portrait at right with a shield row and Celtic motifs along the base. SPECIMEN overprint and De La Rue oval handstamps appear at left and right, and the note bears the contemporary manager signature J. G. McClay. Read more →