Collection

Great Britain — Thomas Cook & Son Travellers Cheque £5 (Proof, ca. 1922)

Photographic proof of a £5 Thomas Cook & Son Travellers Cheque produced in the early 1920s. By this period, Cook’s cheques had become internationally recognized instruments accepted throughout the British Empire and allied banking networks. The £5 denomination served travelers within the United Kingdom and on continental routes, combining portability with the firm’s guarantee of redemption through its global offices. ... Read more →

Great Britain — Thomas Cook & Son Travellers Cheque 100 Rupees (Proof, ca. 1923)

Unsigned photographic proof of a 100 Rupees Travellers Cheque by Thomas Cook & Son, produced circa 1923 for issue in British India and adjoining territories. These rupee-denominated cheques were part of Cook’s regional adaptation strategy, allowing British and colonial travelers to draw funds in local currency without transporting specie. Each carried detailed bilingual text, ornate guilloche borders, and a space for dual signatures—of the purchaser and the company cashier—mirroring the format later used by standardized travellers cheques. ... Read more →

U.S. 1929 — $10 Warren NB of Peabody, Massachusetts (Type 2, Discovery Note)

This 1929 Type 2 $10 note from The Warren National Bank of Peabody, Massachusetts (Charter 616) represents the only recorded example for this charter. No $5 or $20 denominations are known, making this piece the definitive Type 2 issue for the bank. The Type 2 series, introduced late in 1929, displayed both the charter number and denomination twice on the face, a feature unique to this final issue of National Bank Notes. ... Read more →

U.S. 1929 — $10 The First National Bank of Philadelphia, PA (Charter #1)

This Series of 1929 Type 1 $10 note was issued by The First National Bank of Philadelphia, the very first institution to receive a national charter in June 1863. Its Charter #1 status makes any surviving note from this bank historically important as a direct link to the origins of the U.S. National Banking System. ... Read more →

U.S. 1914 — $50 Federal Reserve Note Philadelphia (Fr#1035, White | Mellon)

The Series of 1914 marked the first issue of Federal Reserve Notes following the establishment of the Federal Reserve System in 1913. This $50 example, issued by the Philadelphia District (3-C), carries the signatures of Treasury officials White and Mellon and features Ulysses S. Grant at center. ... Read more →

Paraguay 1907 — Banco de la República 100 Pesos (Pick 159, Issued)

Issued 100 Pesos note of the Banco de la República, catalogued as Pick 159 and printed by Waterlow & Sons, London. It shows the full design as originally released in 1907, featuring the central building vignette, elaborate guilloche, and watermark '100'. This is the parent design upon which the later 1912 fiscal overprints were imposed, making it the foundation type for both specimen and provisional issues. ... Read more →

Australia ca.1939 — Commercial Banking Co. of Sydney £5 Travellers Cheque (Photographic Proof)

Photographic proof of a £5 Travellers Cheque prepared for the Commercial Banking Company of Sydney around 1939, mounted on cardstock and annotated at upper margin for archival use. This early pre-war layout marks one of the first generations of CBC traveller’s cheques, preceding the coloured issues of the 1960s. Produced during the late interwar period when secure portable payment instruments were vital for travel within the British Empire, this proof reflects the evolution of Australian financial printing in collaboration with Bradbury Wilkinson & Co., London. ... Read more →

Brazil 1943 — 100 Cruzeiros (Back Proof, Pick 138p2, ABNC)

Back plate proof printed by the American Bank Note Company for the 100 Cruzeiros issue of 1943, executed on card with broad margins and strong embossing. The reverse design features an allegorical seated female figure holding a globe, symbolizing Brazil’s connection to global commerce and navigation—recurring motifs throughout mid-20th century ABNC engravings. Proofs like this one were pulled directly from steel plates to check engraving depth, line clarity, and inking quality before full production. ... Read more →

Mauritius ND (1940) — 1 Rupee Uncut Pair (Remainder, Pick 26r1)

Uncut pair of 1 Rupee remainder notes from the Government of Mauritius, ND (1940). Catalogued as Pick 26r1. Two vertically aligned notes with punch cancels, printed in green and rose with portrait at right and coat of arms at left. ... Read more →

New Zealand 1934 — 10 Shillings (Photographic Face Proof, Pick 154p)

Archival photographic face proof of the 1934 10 Shillings, engraved for the Reserve Bank of New Zealand. Features kiwi bird vignette, Maori warrior portrait with full moko, and the national coat of arms. Perforated cancellation across the design confirms non-circulating archival status. ... Read more →

New Zealand 1934 — 10 Shillings (Issued, Pick 154)

Issued 10 Shillings from the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, dated 1 August 1934. Printed by Thomas De La Rue with kiwi bird vignette at left, national coat of arms, and Maori warrior portrait with full moko. Watermark: Bank title. ... Read more →

Poland 1940 — 10 Złotych (Contemporary Counterfeit, Pick 94x)

This is a striking example of a 1940 Poland — 10 Złotych contemporary counterfeit (Pick 94x), authenticated as PMG 55 About Uncirculated. Intended as a wartime forgery under German occupation, this note retains full original design touches—but critically, it was produced without serial numbers or issue letter designations, a telltale trait of clandestine counterfeiting. It bears a bold purple WERTLOS stamp (meaning “worthless”) across the face, a cancellation overprint likely applied in situ to deter circulation or mark detection. ... Read more →