Search Results for "world war ii" - Collection

1943 Patriarchal letter signed by Cyril IX Moghabghab, Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarch, issued in Alexandria

Egypt 1943 - Cyril IX Moghabghab, Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarch (Signed Patriarchal Letter, Alexandria)

Addressed to Dr. Tawfiq Hajjar in Cairo, the letter opens with the formal Melkite invocation of peace and apostolic blessing. However, its content is explicitly political, offering a rare glimpse into the diplomatic and intercessory functions of the Patriarchate during the final months of World War II and immediately before the proclamation of Lebanese independence (November 1943). Hajjar had requested patriarchal support for his appointment as a Lebanese political representative in the Egyptian kingdom. Cyril IX acknowledges this request and commends Hajjar’s standing among Cairo’s senior figures, noting that his reputation strengthens the legitimacy of the proposed appointment. Read more →

EgyptEcclesiastical Document1943N/A (Patriarchal Correspondence)Uncertified (VF, Strong Signature, Full Text Intact) Ecclesiastical DocumentPolitical CorrespondenceMelkite Greek Catholic ChurchPatriarch of Antioch Alexandria JerusalemCyril IX MoghabghabSigned LetterPatriarchal ChanceryReligious LeadershipChristian EgyptLevantine ChristianityMiddle Eastern ChristianityLebanese RepresentationChurch and StateWWII EgyptClerical InfluenceEgyptAlexandria1943Museum GradeR9 Extremely RareUnique

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Poland 1940 10 Złotych contemporary counterfeit Pick 94x PMG 55 AU with purple WERTLOS stamp and Zigzag Lines watermark

Poland 1940 - 10 Zlotych Contemporary Counterfeit with WERTLOS Stamp (Pick 94x)

While many forgeries were crude, this example shows refined guilloché and engraving quality approaching official work, illustrating the skill level of wartime forgers operating under extreme conditions. Such notes were used both for subversion and emergency financing, adding a layer of historical intrigue. Read more →

PolandContemporary Counterfeit194010 ZłotychPMG 55 About Uncirculated Poland194010 Zlotych10 ZlotyPick 94xMilczak 94MilczakContemporary CounterfeitCounterfeitWartime CounterfeitWartime ForgeryOccupation IssueOccupation CurrencyBank Emisyjny w PolsceEmission BankGeneral GovernmentGerman OccupationWorld War IIWWIIWartimeResistanceWERTLOSWorthlessZigzag LinesZigzag WatermarkPMG 55About Uncirculated

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Poland 1940 10 Złotych, Bank Emisyjny w Polsce, Series F prefix, printed by Giesecke & Devrient, PMG 65 EPQ Gem Uncirculated

Poland 1940 - 10 Zlotych Bank Emisyjny Series F Giesecke & Devrient (Pick 94a)

This example carries the Series F prefix, a significantly scarcer prefix of the 10 Złotych issue and cataloged as Milczak 94aF. Read more →

PolandIssued Note194010 złotychPMG 65 EPQ Gem Uncirculated Poland194010 Zlotych10 ZlotyPick 94Pick 94aMilczak 94aFMilczak 94MilczakBank Emisyjny w PolsceEmission BankGeneral GovernmentGerman OccupationWorld War IIWWIISeries FGiesecke & DevrientGiesecke DevrientLeipzigZigzag WatermarkZigzag Lines WatermarkPMG 65EPQGem Uncirculated

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Poland 1940 10 Złotych Printing Remnants, forgery workshop underprint, PMG descriptive holder

Poland 1940 - 10 Zlotych Printing Remnants Forgery Workshop Underprint (Miłczak 94)

Fascinating semi-finished product from a wartime forgery workshop, connected with the 10 złotych 1940 issue (Miłczak 94). The piece is printed only with the underprint of the obverse design - background guilloches and the female allegorical portrait at left - without the main face value, overprints, or full intaglio elements. Trimmed to the correct banknote format, it represents an intermediate stage in the counterfeiting process. Read more →

PolandContemporary Counterfeit194010 złotychPMG Holdered (Descriptive, no numeric grade) Poland194010 ZlotychPick 94Milczak 94MilczakBank Emisyjny w PolsceEmission BankGeneral GovernmentGerman OccupationOccupationOccupation IssueWorld War IIWWIIWartimeCounterfeitContemporary CounterfeitForgeryWartime ForgeryForgery WorkshopCounterfeit WorkshopPrinting RemnantsWorkshop RemnantProduction RemnantSemi Finished PrintIntermediate PrintIncomplete PrintUnderprintObverse UnderprintGuillocheWatermarkBanknotePMG

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Poland 1940 500 Złotych Series A with counterfeit numbering link, PMG 15

Poland 1940 - 500 Zlotych, Series A with Counterfeit Numbering (Pick 98a)

A 1319803 documents an unusual consequence of that operation: an authentic Bank Emisyjny w Polsce banknote whose legitimate serial number became associated with clandestine wartime production. Certified PMG 15 Choice Fine, the note retains the characteristic design of the 1940 500 złotych issue, dominated by the portrait of a Góral highlander that gave the denomination its popular name, "Góral." As a genuine note surviving from the compromised 13xxxxx sequence, it provides direct material evidence of the point at which ordinary circulating currency, resistance activity and wartime monetary control intersected in occupied Poland. Read more →

PolandIssued Note with Counterfeit Link1940500 ZłotychPMG 15 Choice Fine Poland1940500 ZlotychBank Emisyjny w PolsceGeneral GovernmentGerman OccupationWorld War IIWWIISeries APick 98aMilczak 98aOccupation IssueCounterfeit NumberingDiversionary ForgeryContemporary CounterfeitLondon CounterfeitPolish ResistanceWartime CounterfeitingCounterfeit WithdrawalPMG 15

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Poland 1940 20 Złotych Series N, WWII London Counterfeit, PMG 64

Poland 1940 - 20 Zlotych, Series N WWII London Counterfeit (Pick 95b)

20 złotych dated 1 March 1940, issued under the Bank Emisyjny w Polsce during the German occupation, here from Series N - a rarer subtype known as the 'WWII London Counterfeit' (LC). This variety is recognized by its distinct olive-toned underprint, setting it apart from the more common genuine emissions. PMG has described this piece as a diversionary counterfeit, aligning it with the series of clandestine productions created to destabilize the wartime Polish economy. Read more →

PolandContemporary Counterfeit194020 ZłotychPMG 64 Choice Uncirculated Poland194020 ZlotychBank Emisyjny w PolsceGeneral GovernmentGerman OccupationWWII London CounterfeitWorld War IIWWIISeries NPick 95bMilczak 95bMilczakLondon CounterfeitCounterfeitContemporary CounterfeitDiversionary ForgeryOccupation IssueCounterfeit NumberingPolish ResistanceWartime Counterfeiting

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Poland 1940 500 Złotych Series B, unfinished print fragment with partial obverse and full reverse, PMG holdered

Poland 1940 - 500 Zlotych Series B Unfinished Print Fragment (Pick 98)

As surviving production material, the note offers an unusual view into the manufacture of Bank Emisyjny w Polsce currency during the Second World War. The relationship between the surviving Highlander watermark and the absent printed Highlander portrait adds a particularly clear visual record of what had and had not yet been completed. Combined with the otherwise undocumented 20xxxxx Series B numbering, it makes the note a significant research piece for reconstructing the production history of the 1940 500 złotych issue. Read more →

PolandPrinting Remnant1940500 ZłotychPMG Holdered (Descriptive, no numeric grade) Printing RemnantPrinting RemnantsUnfinished PrintIncomplete PrintUnfinished BanknoteProduction MaterialProduction StagePrinting ProcessBanknote ProductionPrinter's SheetPrinter's Sheet FragmentSheet FragmentProduction Sheet500 Zlotych500 Zlotych 1940Bank Emisyjny w PolsceEmission BankEmission Bank in PolandPolandPolish BanknotePolish CurrencyGerman OccupationGerman Occupied PolandGeneral GovernmentGeneralgouvernementWorld War IIWWIIWartime CurrencyOccupation Currency19401 March 1940Pick 98Milczak 98MilczakSeries BB 2048322B2048322Serial B 2048322Serial B2048322Serial NumberSerial Number AnomalyUnrecorded Serial NumberUnrecorded Serial Range20xxxxx Serial RangeSeries B Serial NumberSeries B 20xxxxxAborted ProductionInterrupted ProductionIncomplete ProductionProduction AnomalyUnderprintObverse UnderprintGreen UnderprintMissing Main DesignMissing Obverse DesignMissing PortraitIncomplete ObverseReverse DesignMorskie OkoTatra MountainsTatrasWatermarkMan's HeadMan's Head WatermarkHighlanderHighlander PortraitHighlander WatermarkGoralGoral PortraitGoral WatermarkPortrait WatermarkObverse PortraitWatermarked PaperPMGPMG Printing RemnantsDescriptive HolderNo Numeric GradeZlotyZlotych

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Fiji 1942 one pound wartime overprint on New Zealand Reserve Bank £1 note showing Government of Fiji overprint and red FI/O serial number

Fiji 1942 - 1 Pound Government of Fiji Overprint on New Zealand £1 (Pick 45c)

This one pound note issued for Fiji in 1942 was created by overprinting an existing Reserve Bank of New Zealand £1 note originally dated 1 August 1934. The base note was printed by Thomas De La Rue & Company in London for circulation in New Zealand, but during the Second World War it was adapted for emergency use within the British colony of Fiji. Read more →

FijiIssued Note (Overprint on Foreign Base)19421 PoundPMG 20 Very Fine Overprinted IssueForeign Base NoteBlack OverprintWartime Emergency CurrencyWorld War II Currency1 PoundGovernment of FijiBritish Colonial AdministrationPacific Wartime EconomyColonial Monetary PolicyReserve Bank of New Zealand Base NoteKiwi VignetteMaori King Tawhiao PortraitCommonwealth Currency AdaptationThomas De La RueTDLRSecurity PrintingFiji1942Pick 45cNew Zealand Pick 155PMG 20Very FineMuseum Grade

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Ireland Northern 1939 Belfast Banking Company Limited £1 Pick 126b PMG 58 Choice About Uncirculated

Ireland 1939–40 - Belfast Banking Company Limited £1 (Pick 126b)

PMG 58 Choice About Uncirculated signals near‑uncirculated eye appeal with only the lightest handling-excellent quality for a type that saw regular commercial use at the onset of World War II. Read more →

IrelandPrivate Bank Issue19391 PoundPMG 58 Choice About Uncirculated Belfast Banking CompanyNorthern IrelandIreland£11 Pound1939Pick 126bBlue SerialPrivate Bank IssueUlster

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1931 Deutsche Orientbank Cairo correspondence set including bank letter, account statement, and registered cover

1931 - Deutsche Orientbank A.G. Cairo Correspondence Set (Letter, Registered Cover, and Account Statement)

Deutsche Orientbank was one of the most important German financial institutions operating abroad before World War II, with branches across the Middle East, the Balkans, and North Africa. Its Cairo office played a significant role in trade finance, project support, and foreign exchange operations during Egypt’s interwar economic expansion, particularly in sectors tied to import–export commerce and infrastructure. Most administrative paper generated by the bank was destroyed during political upheavals, branch closures, and post-war consolidations, leaving only isolated survivals. Read more →

EgyptFinancial Document1931N/A (Complete Bank Correspondence Set)Uncertified (VF, Complete Three-Piece Set) Bank CorrespondenceFinancial DocumentKonto Korrent StatementRegistered CoverPostal HistoryGerman Overseas BankingDeutsche OrientbankInterwar PeriodTrade FinanceForeign Bank BranchesGerman Economic PresenceCommercial History EgyptCross Border BankingInternational FinanceColonial Era BankingForeign Exchange AdministrationEgyptCairo1931Museum GradeR6 Extremely RareAnnotationsHandwritten Annotations

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1935 Palestine and Egypt Lloyd Alexandria agency letterhead with maritime emblem

Egypt 1935 - Palestine & Egypt Lloyd Ltd., Alexandria Agency Letterhead

Documents from these agencies seldom survived. Commercial forwarding firms generated huge volumes of short-lived paperwork-memos, clearances, manifests, booking confirmations, and correspondence-almost all of which were discarded after brief internal use. Surviving examples that include full mastheads, complete branch listings, registration stamps, dated administrative content, and original handwritten signatures are extremely rare. This 14 December 1935 letterhead represents a museum-level artifact from the height of interwar Levant–Egypt maritime commerce, preserving the operational footprint of one of the most important private transport agencies active in the region before World War II. Read more →

EgyptCommercial Document1935N/A (Shipping Agency Letterhead)Uncertified (VF, Complete, R6 Extremely Rare, Museum Grade) Commercial DocumentCommercial CorrespondenceCommercial Invoice HistoryIllustrated LetterheadAgency LetterheadForwarding and ClearingPassenger Transport AgentsShipping AgencyTransport LogisticsLevantine CommerceInterwar Maritime TradeMiddle Eastern Trade RoutesEastern Mediterranean NetworksMultinational Branch NetworksCommercial History EgyptColonial Era CommercePre WWII AdministrationMandate Era EconomyCosmopolitan CairoAlexandria Maritime HubPalestine and Egypt LloydJerusalem BranchTel Aviv BranchJaffa BranchHaifa BranchDamascus BranchAleppo BranchBaghdad BranchTeheran BranchEgyptCairo1935Museum GradeR6 Extremely Rare

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1949 Greece Ministry of Foreign Affairs certified translation and legalisation from Volos to Athens

Greece 1949 - Ministry of Foreign Affairs Certified Translation and Legalisation (Volos–Athens)

This document sits within a broader system shaped by the political and administrative climate of post–World War II Greece. Before the widespread availability of private sworn translators and standardized international notarial agreements, the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs maintained an internal Translation and Legalisation Department responsible for producing certified translations and official authentications for use abroad. Municipal or community authorities such as the President of the Community in Volos first certified the original act; only then could an MFA translator in Athens prepare an English version, which finally received ministerial legalization so that foreign courts, consulates, or immigration offices would accept the document as valid. Read more →

GreeceGovernment Document1949N/A (Government Translation)Uncertified (Fine+, Complete Official Paper) Government DocumentDiplomatic DocumentConsular DocumentCertified TranslationLegalisationForeign Ministry AuthenticationConsular RevenueParakh EisaktionRevenue StampsTranslation CertificationGreek Ministry of Foreign AffairsPostwar Greek AdministrationGreek Legal HistoryMunicipal CertificationCross Border DocumentationArchival Case FilesCivil Status DocumentationPost WWII EuropeBilingual AdministrationDocument Authentication ChainGreeceVolosAthens1949Museum GradeR6 Extremely Rare

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