Collection PL

Barbados 1943 — Government of Barbados 100 Dollars, Front and Back Archival Photograph

This item consists of a matched pair of archival photographic prints documenting the front and back designs of an unissued 100 Dollars banknote for Barbados, dated 1943 and produced under British colonial administration. The photographs record a complete banknote design that did not proceed to production or circulation and survive as internal visual documentation rather than monetary instruments. The front design carries the formal issuer heading Government of Barbados and presents a complete engraved layout including denomination panels, ornamental framing, and portraiture of King George the Sixth. ... Read more →

Ireland 1920 — Ulster Bank Ltd. £1 Proof

Archival proof for Ulster Bank Ltd., dated 1920. Printed by Waterlow & Sons, London, the note displays finely executed allegories and maritime motifs, reflecting both classical design and national symbolism in the early 20th century. The Waterlow imprint remains visible in the margin, a hallmark of genuine proofs. ... Read more →

Brazil 1963 — Tesouro Nacional 20 Cruzeiros Front & Back Proof

Superb archival proof of the 20 Cruzeiros note, produced by the American Bank Note Company for the Tesouro Nacional. Both obverse and reverse are mounted on a single presentation sheet, showcasing the portrait of Dom Pedro II at right and an allegorical vignette of reclining Industry on the reverse. The pair demonstrates the harmony of engraving and typographic composition typical of Brazil’s mid-century currency. ... Read more →

Portugal 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 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 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 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 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 →

Paraguay 1907 — Banco de la República 100 Pesos Issued Note (Pick 159)

Issued 1907 Banco de la República 100 Pesos note, cataloged as Pick 159 and printed by Waterlow & Sons, London. This is the original, non-overprinted base type from which the later 1912 emergency state issues were created. In its pure issued form, without the later “Emisión del Estado” overprint or the additional Treasury fiscal validation seen on rarer revalidated examples, the note preserves the full Waterlow design as it was intended before Paraguay’s monetary emergency transformed surviving stocks into provisional state currency. ... Read more →

Italy 1866 — Credito Fondiario di Bologna 50 Lire Specimen (Pick Unlisted)

Specimen proof of the 50 Lire issue from the Credito Fondiario di Bologna, engraved by Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co. and dated 1866. Credito Fondiario institutions specialized in long-term, mortgage-backed lending—a key innovation in Italy’s financial system, providing stability and funding for agricultural and urban development at a time when the new Kingdom was still economically fragmented. ... Read more →

Australia 1939 — Commercial Banking Company of Sydney LIMITED £5 Travellers Cheque Photographic Proof (Pick Unlisted)

Photographic proof of a £5 Travellers Cheque prepared for the Commercial Banking Company of Sydney LIMITED around 1939, mounted on cardstock and annotated at upper margin for archival use. This early pre-war layout marks one of the first generations of CBC traveller’s cheques, preceding the coloured issues of the 1960s. Produced during the late interwar period when secure portable payment instruments were vital for travel within the British Empire, this proof reflects the evolution of Australian financial printing in collaboration with Bradbury Wilkinson & Co., London. ... Read more →

Australia 1963 — Commercial Banking Company of Sydney LIMITED £5 Travellers Cheque Specimen (Pick Unlisted)

Specimen traveller’s cheque for £5 issued by the Commercial Banking Company of Sydney, Limited. Printed in blue and green with the same allegorical vignette of a child with fleece used across the series, embodying the themes of trust, productivity, and growth. The CBC of Sydney was a cornerstone of Australian finance, founded in 1834 and later merging into the National Australia Bank. ... Read more →