Collection PL

Italy 1869 — Credito Agricolo della Cassa di Risparmio in Bologna 30 Lire Specimen (Pick Unlisted)

Specimen of the 30 Lire issue from the Credito Agricolo della Cassa di Risparmio in Bologna, produced by Bradbury, Wilkinson & Company during the critical early phase of post-unification Italian financial restructuring. The denomination itself—30 Lire—is highly unconventional and appears directly tied to structured agricultural credit mechanisms rather than standard monetary circulation, reflecting targeted rural financing systems implemented in newly unified Italy. Credito Agricolo institutions operated as specialized credit channels designed to stabilize agricultural production and extend liquidity to rural sectors, where fragmented coinage systems and inconsistent monetary supply remained a persistent issue. ... Read more →

Italy 1869 — Credito Agricolo della Cassa di Risparmio in Bologna 30 Lire Portrait Vignette (Bradbury Wilkinson and Company)

This engraved portrait vignette was produced by Bradbury Wilkinson and Company as a direct design component for the 1869 Credito Agricolo della Cassa di Risparmio in Bologna 30 Lire issue. It is not a generic engraving but the exact portrait element incorporated into the final banknote, forming part of the original production chain of the note itself. Vignettes of this type were engraved separately within the security printing workflow, allowing master engravers to refine portrait structure, shading, and line depth before integration into the full note layout. ... Read more →