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 central inscription reads 'La Provincia de Buenos Ayres,' preserving the period spelling AYRES. The obligation clause 'Por Cinco Pesos Moneda Corriente' affirms the fiduciary authority of the provincial government, while the signature of Rojas directly ties the note to the highest level of financial administration in Buenos Aires during the Rosas regime. Read more →

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

Dated 2 August 1842, this note bears manuscript signatures, serial numbers, and the characteristic oval CANCELLED stamps applied upon redemption. The engraving by Myers Frs. & Co. depicts the busy Port Louis waterfront, with ships and warehouses illustrating Mauritius’s role as a maritime trading hub between Africa, India, and Europe. 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)

Only one example is certified in the PMG census, graded 64 Choice Uncirculated (Top Pop) - the sole recorded proof of this denomination and date. Beyond its rarity, this engraving illustrates the precision and artistry characteristic of the American Bank Note Company during the late 19th century, when U.S. firms dominated Latin American banknote production. This proof stands as a tangible artifact of that era’s intersection between artistry, financial expansion, and technological excellence. Read more →

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

The bull’s head - easily dismissed as simple ornament - actually spoke to Rosario’s identity at the time: a river port surging with cattle shipments heading toward Buenos Aires and Montevideo. Using an animal instead of an allegory made the note instantly recognizable to rural traders, many of whom were illiterate but fully attuned to livestock symbolism. This was smart banking, not decorative indulgence. 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)

Although the upper-right corner is missing, this early-serial piece (No. 05056, Series I) retains the full portrait and guilloche architecture, confirming plate alignment and press depth identical to the later intact note 15849. It demonstrates how provincial Argentine banks adopted London engraving precision while applying local iconography tied to regional progress. Read more →

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

Issued provincial note from El Banco del Chaco, Villa Ocampo branch, dated 1 Octubre 1884, printed by Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co., London, under Argentina’s Ley de Bancos Garantidos system. Hand-signed, Series I, serial 15849. The allegorical female personifies Agriculture, flanked by a dog and bull symbolizing loyalty, vigilance, and strength. BWC’s London plates combine intaglio portraiture with delicate micro-lathe patterns, equal in finesse to any contemporary British colonial issue. Read more →

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

This example, serial number 55818, belongs to the earliest issuance state of Pick S385a and carries a single handwritten circulation signature placed at the right side of the designated signature area. At this stage, Banco Oriental authorization relied on a single signing official applied manually in ink after printing and numbering. No secondary signature was present or required under the original issuance framework. 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)

The dual-signature configuration represents a short-lived administrative experiment within the Banco Oriental. It was introduced after the original single-signature format and abandoned before the adoption of mechanically printed facsimile signatures. The rapid implementation and reversal of this requirement strongly suggests heightened oversight or institutional uncertainty rather than a planned production standard. Read more →

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

Cataloged as Pick S385a together with all other issued 1867 Banco Oriental 10 Pesos Doblón notes, this centered-signature variant is not separately recognized in standard references. Its importance lies in documenting the internal administrative evolution of the Banco Oriental during a period of rapid procedural change rather than in representing a formally distinct catalog type. Read more →

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

Serial number 74487 is distinguished by a single engraved facsimile circulation signature placed at the right side of the designated signature area. This placement exactly matches the original position used for the earliest handwritten signatures, indicating a deliberate return to the initial spatial layout once the authorization system was stabilized. The facsimile signature replaced manual signing to improve uniformity, speed, and administrative efficiency. Read more →