Collection

Luxembourg ND (ca. 1970) — 100 Francs (Face Photographic Proof, Unlisted)

Face-side photographic proof of the 1970 100 Francs, showing Grand Duke Jean in full formal dress. Printed in black-and-white and mounted on thick De La Rue archive card, this proof was the final composition review before the portrait was translated into steel. Every pencil mark—note spacing, caption weight, and crop lines—reveals how De La Rue balanced royal symbolism with functional clarity. ... Read more →

Luxembourg ND (ca. 1970) — 100 Francs (Back Photographic Proof, Unlisted)

Back-side photographic proof from the 1970 production cycle, mounted with pencil annotations and approval marks. Executed in monochrome, it allowed designers to judge spatial balance, caption hierarchy, and vignette proportion without the distraction of color. The detailed cityscape view of Luxembourg is crisply rendered here, revealing framing decisions invisible in issued notes. ... Read more →

Luxembourg 1970 — 100 Francs (Specimen, Pick 56s)

Specimen of the issued 1970 type, overprinted SPECIMEN and cancelled with circular punches, serial A000000. This note defines De La Rue’s technical peak for Luxembourg: a finely cut intaglio portrait resting on offset color fields precisely matched for machine counting and extended circulation. PMG 66 EPQ Gem Uncirculated. ... Read more →

Luxembourg 1970 — 100 Francs (Color Trial Specimen, Pick 56cts)

Color-trial specimen of the 1970 100 Francs printed in an experimental blue palette rather than the adopted green, with red SPECIMEN overprint and punch cancels. Serial A000000. PMG 58 EPQ Choice About Unc. ... Read more →

Luxembourg 1970 — 100 Francs (Issue, Pick 56a)

Issued 1970 100 Francs, serial A143655. PMG 65 EPQ Gem Uncirculated. In technical terms it exemplifies post-war European craftsmanship—high-cotton paper stock, deep intaglio portrait of Grand Duke Jean, and an underprint deliberately thinned at key intersections to aid machine reading and prolong plate life. ... Read more →

Luxembourg ND (ca. 1965) — 20 Francs (Face Photographic Proof, Unlisted)

Face-side photographic proof for the planned 20 Francs of the mid-1960s, mounted with handwritten production notes. In these monochrome trials, designers verified portrait scale, caption placement, and emblem spacing before commissioning full engraving. The format still bears mid-century aesthetics—tight portrait framing and minimal underprint cues—that would later evolve into the balanced De La Rue layouts of the 1970 series. ... Read more →

Luxembourg ND (ca. 1965) — 20 Francs (Back Photographic Proof, Unlisted)

Back-side photographic proof for the same unissued 20 Francs project, mounted on archive card and annotated in pencil. Rendered entirely in grayscale, it isolates the compositional logic of the design—vignette, numerals, and inscriptions tested for spacing and tone before translation to metal plates. PCGS 63 Apparent (Mounted). ... Read more →

El Salvador 1996 — 25 Colones (Face Die Proof)

Large-format face die proof prepared in 1996 for the upcoming 25 Colones issue printed by De La Rue. The engraving shows the 'Pirámide de San Andrés' archaeological site, one of El Salvador’s most recognizable national symbols. This proof represents the finalized master plate used for the 1997–1999 circulation notes later catalogued as Pick 149 and Pick 155. ... Read more →

El Salvador 1997 — 25 Colones (Pick 149a, Issued)

First circulation release of the 'Pirámide de San Andrés' 25 Colones design, dated 10 de Abril de 1997. Issued by El Banco Central de Reserva de El Salvador and printed by De La Rue, this note introduced a modernized color palette and refined micro-engraving compared with earlier colón designs. The face features the pyramid and national emblem, while the reverse highlights agricultural motifs linked to national productivity. ... Read more →

El Salvador 1997 — 25 Colones (Pick 149as, Specimen)

Official specimen of the 1997 25 Colones, printed by De La Rue with red diagonal SPECIMEN overprint, control stamps, and circular perforation cancellations. Specimens were distributed to the issuing bank, security printers, and select institutional archives as reference pieces. They illustrate the complete design and security devices—latent imagery, microtext, and watermark placement—without carrying legal-tender status. ... Read more →

El Salvador 1998 — 25 Colones (Pick 149b, Issued)

Issued 25 Colones note dated 1998 featuring the same 'Pirámide de San Andrés' vignette but updated official signatures. Printed by De La Rue for El Banco Central de Reserva, the 1998 issue maintained the established color scheme and watermark layout. Slight modifications in signature style and minor tint adjustments distinguish it from the 1997 release. ... Read more →

El Salvador 1999 — 25 Colones (Pick 155, Issued)

Final paper-money issue of the 25 Colones dated 1999, showing design refinements introduced just before El Salvador’s dollarization. Changes include a darker lower border strip, enhanced guilloche density, and new signatures of bank officials. Printed by De La Rue on improved security paper with embedded threads and latent image devices. ... Read more →