Collection PL

Portugal ND (1917) — Banco de Portugal 50 Mil Réis Specimen (Pick 110s)

Specimen of the Banco de Portugal 50 Mil Réis, the grandest denomination of the First Republic’s intricate 1916–1919 issue. Printed by Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co., London, without serials or signatures and perforated SPECIMEN, it reveals the full design before numbering and underprint were applied. PMG 35 Choice Very Fine. ... Read more →

Portugal ND (1917) — Banco de Portugal 50 Mil Réis Front Progressive Proof (Pick 110pp1)

Front progressive proof for the Banco de Portugal 50 Mil Réis, printed in a single intaglio color to test composition and line fidelity before the final multi-color stones were prepared. Without underprint or overprint, it exposes the engraver’s hand—the bare guilloche network and portrait cartouche that later defined the completed note. PMG 25 EPQ Very Fine. ... Read more →

Great Britain ca. 1904 — Thomas Cook & Son $50 Circular Note Photographic Proof (Pick Unlisted)

A photographic proof of the 50 Dollars Circular Note produced for Thomas Cook and Son circa 1904, representing a pre-issue production artifact created during the final design and approval phase of one of the earliest globally recognized private payment instruments. This proof predates finished circulation notes and preserves the engraved face as prepared for reproduction rather than for direct financial use. These instruments are directly related to what later became known as Travellers Cheque and Travelers Check systems and are often collected within the same category of early international payment instruments. ... Read more →

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

A photographic proof of the £5 Travellers Cheque issued by Thomas Cook & Son in the early 1920s, produced during the post–First World War consolidation phase of the firm’s international payment system. This proof represents a pre-issue production artifact created for design verification and internal reference prior to finalized cheque issuance. By the early 1920s, Thomas Cook & Son had established one of the most extensive private financial networks in the world. ... Read more →

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

A photographic proof of the 100 Rupees Travellers Cheque produced by Thomas Cook & Son circa 1923, created as part of the design verification and internal approval process for the firm’s rupee-denominated instruments intended for use across British India and associated territories. This proof represents a distinct production-stage artifact documenting the engraved face prior to finalized cheque issuance. By the early 1920s, Thomas Cook & Son had fully transitioned from a travel agency into a global financial intermediary, operating one of the most extensive private payment networks in the world. ... Read more →

United States 1929 Type 2 – 10 Dollars National Bank Note – The Warren National Bank of Peabody, Massachusetts (Fr. 1801-2, Charter 616, PMG 25 Very Fine)

The Warren National Bank of Peabody, Massachusetts, Charter 616, was organized on December 8 1864 as the successor to the pre-Civil-War Warren Bank of South Danvers. When the town was renamed Peabody in 1872, the bank adopted the new name as well. Its charter therefore spans the entire National Banking era—from Abraham Lincoln’s first bond-secured issues to the consolidation of the 1930s—representing seventy years of uninterrupted local service. ... Read more →

United States 1929 Type 1 - 10 Dollars National Bank Note - The First National Bank of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Fr. 1801-1, Charter 1, PMG 25 Very Fine)

The First National Bank of Philadelphia holds Charter 1, the very first federal national bank charter issued under the National Banking Act of 1863. Granted on June 20, 1863, it became the prototype for a new system that tied local banknotes to United States bonds and standardized design, redemption, and supervision across the country. Charter 1 anchored Philadelphia finance from the Civil War through the Great Depression. ... Read more →

United States 1914 – 50 Dollars Federal Reserve Note – Philadelphia District (Fr.1035, White | Mellon, PMG 30 EPQ)

The Series of 1914 was the inaugural issue of Federal Reserve Notes following the creation of the Federal Reserve System in December 1913. For the first time, the United States possessed a unified national currency directly issued through the newly organized regional Reserve Banks. The Philadelphia District, designated by the letter C and the numeral 3, served as one of the twelve original Reserve Bank branches, linking the new central banking structure to the industrial and commercial heart of the Mid-Atlantic region. ... Read more →

Italy 1871 — Standing Italia Vignette Die Proof (PS976)

Engraved vignette die proof of 'Standing Italia,' later integrated into the 250 Lire specimen of the Banca Italo-Germanica (1871–72, PS976). The allegory, modeled on classical prototypes, depicts Italia standing with shield and spear, emblematic of the country’s newly achieved unification and Rome’s designation as capital in 1871. Pulled directly from the master plate by Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co., this die proof captures the engraving in its purest state—sharp, uninked margins, and untouched by printing wear. ... Read more →

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

Issued 100 Pesos note of the Banco de la Republica, cataloged as Pick 159 and printed by Waterlow & Sons, London. First released in 1907, it shows the complete undisturbed design: a central public building vignette, strong engine-turned guilloche, and a 100 watermark in the paper. This is the base type on which the later 1912 fiscal overprints were applied, making it the foundation for related specimen and provisional issues. ... Read more →

Italy ND (1868) — Banco di Napoli Fede di Credito 50–200 Lire (Specimen)

Specimen Fede di Credito from the Banco di Napoli, engraved by Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co. during the early years of the unified Kingdom of Italy. The Banco di Napoli traced its roots back to charitable institutions founded in 1539, making it one of Europe’s oldest surviving banks. ... Read more →

Italy 1869 — Credito Agricolo di Bologna 30 Lire (Specimen)

Specimen of the 30 Lire issue from the Credito Agricolo di Bologna, produced by Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co. during the consolidation years of Italian unification. The denomination itself—30 Lire—is highly unusual and appears linked to agricultural credit schemes and rural cooperative lending. ... Read more →