Europe

Austria 1 krone 1922 Tiny red on white Uniface P73 Simple design Unc

Although these large 1000 kronen note bear the date 1902, they were actually issued in 1919 (P59 & P61) At the end of the First World War, the Austrian Hungarian Empire was broken up and Austria became an independent Republic. They are densely engraved in blue. The front features a young girl in a frame with garlands of flowers in her hair. while the back features a young girl to the left and right with a patterned design below (P61).

Although this large 1000 kronen note bears the date 1902, it was actually issued in 1919 (P59) At the end of the First World War, the Austrian Hungarian Empire was broken up and Austria became an independent Republic. They are densely engraved in blue. The front has a young girl in a frame with garlands of flowers in her hair. A crowned double headed eagle is at the centre. The back is the same with the addition of an overprint in red of Deutscheossterriech alongside. Available here in Crisp GEF/Unc.

Belarus 20,000 roubles 2000 P31e Green on white View towards city/ Large building Unc

Belarus 50 roubles 2000 P25a Pink Gateway/ Monument Unc

A scarce set of notes issued by the local authorities in Meulebeke, Belgium during World War II. The denominations are 1f, 5f, 10f and 20f and they are dated 11-6-1940. Each has the rubber stamp of the City on the back, when they were used they rubber stamped the name of the Burgemeester. They also have a pin hole in the centre which is from the spindle where they were put when redeemed. Without the signature and pin hole they were not valid. One set sold at an auction in Belgium recently for EUR300 (around £260). We had never seen them before but we managed to buy a small quantity of these notes recently and are able to offer them to our customers at a huge saving. They are very interesting notes and quite attractive given the circumstances under which they were printed. Get yours while stocks last.

Croatia 100,000 dinara 1993 P27 Turquoise green on white Boskovic at l and geometric diagrams/Statue of seated woman. Unc

During the Second World War, Croatia was under German Occupation. Notes were issued for the duration and this 1000 kuna note is from that series (P4) It is dated 1941 and is available in Very Fine- Good Very Fine condition. It’s densely engraved with a young girl to the left. Security features include thick fibres scattered randomly.

Croatia 50,000 dinara 1996 P26 Red Boskovic at l and mathematical diagram at r/ Monument Unc

It’s not often you get the chance to include colour trials in your banknote collection. This is because they are rarely available to the collector market. They tend to remain with the printers or are destroyed. These colour trials from Croatia, I think you will agree are pretty exotic What are colour trials? Well, as their name implies they are trial printings of banknotes done on paper or in colours that are not adopted for the final issued printing. The trials we have on offer were prepared for Croatian banknotes issued in 1993. They are printed on one side only showing either the front or the back. Many of the trials for the reverse show an incomplete printing stage. Our collection contains 10 different pieces including the fronts and backs of the 200, 500 and 1000 kuna which in issued form are very expensive. Also included are the fronts and backs of the 5 and 20 kuna. Illustrations include prominent citizens from the past and important buildings. This fabulous Croatian Colour Trial Collection comprising 10 pieces, a real talking point.

Cyprus £1 1978 P43c Brown on white Sculpted ring at l and Arms and map of island at r/ Avenue of arches and columns. Unc

A wonderful Test note issued by De la Rue Giori and depicting Johannes Gutenberg, the 15th century inventor of the printing press with moveable type. This invention is regarded as one of the most significant ever, ushering in, as it did, an era of mass communication. This Uniface Test note has a portrait of Gutenberg to the left and a hologram to the right. Crisp Uncirculated at £8.50.

Federal Republic Germany 5 marks 1980 P30b Green on white Venetian woman at r/ Oak leaves Unc

This French 200 francs which was issued in the 1980’s and early 1990’s (P156) Its tapestry like design features Montesquieu, a political philosopher living in the 18th century in the Age of Enlightenment. To the right of his portrait a female figure holding a shield representing L’Esprit des Lois,(The Spirit of the Laws) a work he published anonymously in 1748 and which influenced the Founding Fathers when they drew up the American Constitution. The back features his portrait alongside a view of the Chateau de la Brede where he was born and a statue of Scylla a reference to his publication Persian Letters. Available in Good Fine- VF.

France 50 francs 1941 P93 Pastel shades of green and brown and m/c Jacques Coeur at l / Scene from Bourges and woman spinning alongside flock of sheep. Unc

France Assignat 50 sols 1793 PA70 Black on white Uniface. Small Allegorical figures below GEF/Unc

Georgia - 1 million laris banknote from 1994 - red on white. Tiny Griffin design/ with Grapes, in uncirculated condition

Georgia 5 laris P-New Brown Man at r and building in background/Farming vignettes with cattle and wheat garvest etc Unc

Germany 10 marks 1920 P67a Dense engraving in green and brown on cream. Unc

These 10,000 mark notes dated 1922 are often referred to as Vampire notes (P72) This is because, hidden in the portrait of the merchant on the front, is a vampire sucking his throat, an allusion to the burden of reparation payments Germany was subject to after World War 1 and which was bleeding the economy dry. Available here in Fine.

Germany 1000 marks 1922 P76 Green on cream Simple design Unc

A pair of Uncirculated notes were issued in the early years of the 20th century in Germany. Both are densely engraved in the style of the time. The first is the 5 marks dated 1917 (P56 ) A young woman wearing a garland of flowers is to the right. The 10 marks dated a few years later in 1920 have a simple design with an eagle to the left and right on the front. (P67) Both notes are Uncirculated.

Germany 500,000 marks 1923 P88b Green on cream. Man to l and right in cap/ Design Fine

A note issued during the crazy hyperinflation period of the 1920s in Germany featuring a portraits of a merchant. This 5000 marks note was issued in 1921 and densely engraved in brown and green on cream (P81) . We offer them in Good Fine to VF.

Germany suffered rampant hyperinflation in the early 1920’s and local banks, towns, industries and municipalities started issuing banknotes alongside the government issues. These 1000 marks notes were issued by the Stadt of Bamberg. They are fairly simple affairs and actually circulated during this fraught economic crisis Available in G Fine to VF at just £5.25.