Collection PL

Argentina 1844 - Provincia de Buenos Ayres 5 Pesos Moneda Corriente Issued Note, 1º Febrero 1844, Rosas Confederation Legend, Rosas Signature (Pick S389)

The upper vignette depicts two nandus (rheas) in a rural landscape, a recurring symbol of the Rio de la Plata region and its agrarian identity. A secondary single nandu vignette appears in the central field. Vertical 'CINCO' denomination panels frame both sides, and a checkered security band runs along the lower margin. Circular medallions bearing the numeral 5 reinforce denomination clarity within a design typical of early Argentine provincial issues. Read more →

Mauritius 1842 - Mauritius Commercial Bank 10 Dollars / 2 Pounds Sterling Issued & Cancelled (Pick S122a)

Printed by Myers Frs. & Co. of London, this note belongs to the very first phase of British-engraved Mauritian currency, predating the later involvement of Perkins Bacon, Waterlow, and De La Rue. Myers was known for fine but relatively small-scale security printing, making these earliest issues scarce even at their time of production. Their survival rate is extremely low due to heavy circulation, environmental humidity, and routine destruction during bank redemptions. Read more →

Mauritius 1843 - Mauritius Commercial Bank 10 Dollars / 2 Pounds Sterling Remainder (Pick S122r)

The survival of any Mauritius Commercial Bank remainder from the early 1840s is exceptionally rare. Most printed stock was either overprinted, used for training, or destroyed during later reconciliations as the bank retired the dollar series. Fully issued examples were almost all redeemed and cancelled, while unissued sheets were typically discarded or reused. This 1843-dated remainder is therefore one of the only high-grade witnesses to the precise engraved state of the early dual-currency series. Read more →

Argentina 1881 - Banco de la Provincia de Buenos Aires 2 Pesos Oro Proof (Pick S536fp)

Superb proof engraving prepared by the American Bank Note Company for the Banco de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, dated 19 de Enero de 1883. The design features an equestrian vignette at center symbolizing progress and vitality, flanked by portraits of Florencio Varela and Valentín Alsina, two influential figures in Argentina’s political and intellectual life. Read more →

Argentina 1867 - Banco de Londres y Rio de la Plata 4 Reales Plata Boliviana Proof (Pick S1734p)

Produced in classic 19th-century proof format, the note displays wide margins, crisp engraving lines, and lacks signatures or serial numbers, confirming its archival status rather than an issued example. Such proofs were retained by the printer or provided to the client bank for approval before mass production. The craftsmanship demonstrates the influence of the American Bank Note Company’s New York studio, which was instrumental in introducing advanced intaglio printing and anti-counterfeiting design to South America. Read more →

Argentina 1871 - Banco de Londres y Rio de la Plata 10 Pesos Rosario No. 000001 Specimen (Pick Unlisted)

The monetary context of early 1870s Argentina was fragmented, with multiple standards circulating simultaneously, including pesos bolivianos, pesos fuertes, reales, and private bank issues. Banco de Londres notes promised payment in moneda boliviana or its legal equivalent, positioning the bank as an intermediary within a complex multi standard environment rather than a unified national system. Read more →

Argentina 1884 - El Banco del Chaco 1 Peso Moneda Nacional Oro Serial 05056 (Pick S1566)

Fragments like this reveal a side of Argentine currency that proofs and specimens can never show. This note lived its entire life on the northern frontier, circulating through timber camps, cattle posts, ferries, and river warehouses where humidity, heat, and rough handling were the rule, not the exception. Paper currency in the Chaco wasn’t saved-it was used until it disintegrated. The missing corner, softened fibers, and color-faded reverse are all consistent with notes exchanged dozens of times per week in an economy where banking infrastructure was minimal and money physically travelled with merchants, ranchers, and labor caravans. Read more →

Argentina 1884 - El Banco del Chaco 1 Peso Moneda Nacional Oro Serial 15849 (Pick S1566)

Cataloged Pick S1566 / Bauman CHA-01a, this is the highest recorded serial among known examples and the only fully preserved specimen traced to the market. It complements the earlier 05056 fragment, confirming press continuity and range across the print run-likely no more than 22,000 sheets, based on the RPN Subasta 22315 reference (Serial 22315). PMG census shows only two graded survivors worldwide, neither matching these serials. Together this pair constitute the definitive record set for Pick S1566, providing the first complete visual documentation of El Banco del Chaco’s 1 Peso Oro issue in private hands. Read more →

Uruguay 1867 - Banco Oriental 10 Pesos = 1 Doblón de Oro Sellado Handwritten Right-Side Signature Serial 55818 Issued Note (Pick S385a)

The obverse design follows the classic American Bank Note Company international style of the mid-nineteenth century. At left, two allegorical female figures personify Commerce and Abundance, rendered in finely engraved classical style. At right, the national coat of arms of Uruguay appears above crossed flags and laurel branches, emphasizing state authority and political legitimacy. A bold central orange guilloche surrounds the inscription “UN DOBLÓN DE ORO SELLADO,” explicitly referencing gold-backed value and convertibility, an essential confidence mechanism in Uruguay’s developing monetary system. Read more →

Uruguay 1867 - Banco Oriental 10 Pesos = 1 Doblón de Oro Sellado Dual Handwritten Signatures at Left and Right Serial 23286 Issued Note (Pick S385a)

Cataloged under Pick S385a together with all other issued 1867 Banco Oriental 10 Pesos Doblón notes, this dual handwritten signature state is not separately recognized by standard catalogs. Nevertheless, its extreme scarcity among surviving examples indicates that it represents the rarest authorization variant of the entire issue. Read more →

Uruguay 1867 - Banco Oriental 10 Pesos = 1 Doblón de Oro Sellado Centered Handwritten Signature Serial 35345 Issued Note (Pick S385a)

Issued banknote of the Banco Oriental of Uruguay, dated 1 de Agosto de 1867 and printed by the American Bank Note Company in New York. Produced from the same engraved plates as the standard single-signature issue, this example documents a transitional authorization state following the brief dual-signature requirement implemented during the initial circulation period. Read more →

Uruguay 1867 - Banco Oriental 10 Pesos = 1 Doblón de Oro Sellado Facsimile Signature at Right Serial 74487 Issued Note (Pick S385a)

The obverse design remains consistent with all 1867 Banco Oriental Doblón notes, featuring allegorical female figures representing Commerce and Abundance at left, the national coat of arms at right, and a prominent central orange guilloche bearing the inscription “UN DOBLÓN DE ORO SELLADO.” This visual continuity underscores the reuse of the original engraved plates throughout all authorization phases of the issue. Read more →