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Auction: 25888 - The Jeffrey Wong Collection of World Banknotes - Part I
Lot: 168

(x) Bank of New Zealand, *TOP POP* Front proof £50, Wellington, 1st October 19--,

An exceptional and highly important front proof £50 note, produced for the Bank of New Zealand by Bradbury Wilkinson & Co. Unlike the fully printed issued notes, this proof is uniface, with the reverse entirely blank. Executed in monochromatic tones.

Closer examination reveals that certain design elements remain incomplete or partially absent, consistent with its proof status. For instance, key inscriptions such as the denomination “Fifty” are missing, and some guilloche elements, typically rendered through complex multicolour contrasts in the issued version, are absent from this impression. These omissions suggest that the plate at this stage was still undergoing development, or that this proof served primarily for layout, design or approval purposes prior to full production.

The note bears a pre-printed date of 1st October 19--, with the final digits left blank, as is typical for proof material of this period. Its survival offers an extraordinary insight into the intricate printing and design processes employed by Bradbury Wilkinson & Co.

Pieces of this nature are of utmost rarity, making this a remarkable opportunity for collectors of New Zealand’s highest grade pre-decimal banknotes.


(Pick S239p1), in PMG holder 55 EPQ About Uncirculated, selvage included, single finest graded note on PMG Census

Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium.

Estimate
£1,200 to £1,800

Starting price
£800