Collection PL

New Zealand 1981 — 1 Dollar (Pick 169as, H.R. Hardie Signature, Star Serial AA000000*, Printer’s Annotation, PMG 65 EPQ Gem Uncirculated)

The 1981 one-dollar specimen represents an exceptional and highly specialized production-stage piece from New Zealand’s decimal currency series, issued during the ND (1981–1985) period under the signature of H.R. Hardie as Chief Cashier. This note belongs to the later Hardie design featuring the revised, more mature portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, clearly distinguishing it from the earlier ND (1977–1981) issues bearing the same signatory. ... Read more →

Luxembourg Undated — 100 Francs Back Photographic Proof, Composition Study (Pick Unlisted)

Back-side photographic proof for the one hundred francs design of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, preserved as an archival working piece mounted on cardstock. This example represents an early composition study within the development of the Grand Duke Jean series, prior to final engraving and production alignment. The central vignette depicts the same bridge motif later used in the issued design, but rendered from a more distant viewpoint and within a broader spatial framework. ... Read more →

Luxembourg 1982 — 20 Francs Specimen Unissued Series (Pick 54As)

Specimen of the unissued 1982 twenty francs series of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, printed by Bradbury Wilkinson and Company as part of a fully prepared but never released national banknote program. This example, serial A000000 099, represents a complete and finalized design held at the specimen stage, with no corresponding issued notes known for the type. At first glance, the note presents a color palette closely aligned with the experimental tones seen in the 1966 development phase. ... 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 →

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 →