Collection PL

Luxembourg 1972 — 50 Francs Signature B, Specimen (Pick 55bs)

Specimen of the fifty francs note of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, dated 1972 and representing the Signature B configuration, officially cataloged as Pick 55bs. This example reflects the finalized production design prepared for institutional reference, distribution control, and archival purposes. The note carries serial number D000000 in dual placement and is overprinted SPECIMEN in red across the face. ... Read more →

Luxembourg 1972 — 50 Francs Signature A, Issued Note (Pick 55a)

Issued fifty francs note of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg dated 1972, representing the Signature A configuration as cataloged under Pick 55a. This note belongs to the finalized circulating series featuring Grand Duke Jean and reflects the fully executed design following earlier proof and specimen stages. The obverse presents a detailed engraved portrait of Grand Duke Jean, integrated within a complex multicolor guilloche field composed of interwoven geometric patterns in green, orange, and brown tones. ... Read more →

Luxembourg 1972 — 50 Francs Signature B, Issued Note (Pick 55b)

Issued fifty francs note of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg dated 1972, representing the Signature B configuration as cataloged under Pick 55b. This variant forms the second signature type within the final circulating series and is distinguished by a change in the left-side issuing authority signature while retaining continuity in the right-side ministerial signature. The obverse features the engraved portrait of Grand Duke Jean, positioned within an intricate multicolor guilloche structure composed of layered geometric forms in green, orange, and brown tones. ... Read more →

Australia 1929 — Commercial Banking Company of Sydney Limited — Circular Letter of Credit Photographic Proof (Mounted on Cardstock, PCGS 64 Very Choice New)

This photographic proof represents a Circular Letter of Credit issued by the Commercial Banking Company of Sydney Limited during the late interwar period, forming part of an international financial system that enabled secure cross-border access to funds. Unlike Letters of Introduction, which served primarily as identity credentials, the Letter of Credit functioned as a direct monetary instrument, allowing the holder to withdraw funds abroad through a structured and verifiable process. It stands as a precursor to modern traveler’s checks and early credit-based financial systems. ... 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 →

Argentina 1876 — Banco de San Juan 5 Pesos Fuertes Central Portrait Vignette (Bradbury Wilkinson and Company)

This engraved central portrait vignette was produced by Bradbury Wilkinson and Company in London as the primary design element for the 1876 Banco de San Juan 5 Pesos Fuertes issue. It is not an unrelated or stock engraving, but the exact central allegorical figure integrated into the final banknote design, forming a direct and inseparable component of the note’s visual and symbolic structure. The vignette depicts a classical female allegory rendered in high-precision intaglio, embodying republican ideals, stability, and institutional authority. ... Read more →

Argentina 1876 — Banco de San Juan 1 Peso Fuerte Condor Vignette (Bradbury Wilkinson and Company)

This engraved condor vignette was produced by Bradbury Wilkinson and Company in London as a primary design element for the 1876 Banco de San Juan 1 Peso Fuerte issue. It is not an isolated or stock engraving, but the exact vignette integrated into the issued design framework of the note, forming a direct and traceable component of the final composition. The vignette depicts an Andean condor standing in a mountainous landscape, engraved with layered intaglio linework and controlled tonal depth. ... Read more →

Poland 1937 — Free City of Gdańsk (Bank of Danzig) 20 Gulden Architectural Vignette (Bradbury Wilkinson and Company)

This engraved architectural vignette was produced by Bradbury Wilkinson and Company in New Malden, Surrey, as a direct design component for the 1937 Bank of Danzig 20 Gulden issue (Pick 63), issued under the authority of the Free City of Gdańsk. It is not a generic or stock engraving, but the exact central vignette incorporated into the final banknote design. The engraving depicts a monumental civic structure rendered with precise architectural detail and controlled perspective. ... Read more →