Coins, Banknotes and Medallions

An extremely rare Bank of Libya partial banknote die proof obverse engraver's test strike for a second series issue ten dinars note, circa 1980, in green with portrait vignette of Omar Al-Mukhtar to left side, values to corners, on paper/card, together with a die proof engraver's test strike colour trial vignette of Omar Al-Mukhtar in black/blue, both tack-mounted to paper with cut frames for presentation purposes (both extremely fine). Provenance: from the personal archive of the late Alan Dow, master banknote engraver to Bradbury Wilkinson & Co and the Bank of England.

A group of six rare and unique Central Bank of Oman Qaboos bin Said partial-full banknote die proof stage engraver's test strikes for a twenty rials note, each in red/brown with portrait vignette of the Sultan to right side (all extremely fine). Provenance: from the personal archive of the late Alan Dow, master banknote engraver to Bradbury Wilkinson & Co and the Bank of England.

A group of six Bank Melli Iran banknote die proof engraver's test strikes for the reverse of a ten rials note, colour trials in blue/black with depiction of the tomb of Ibn Sina at Hamadan, mixed formats on cut and part-torn paper (all good/very fine, some soiling). Provenance: from the personal archive of the late Alan Dow, master banknote engraver to Bradbury Wilkinson & Co and the Bank of England.

A group of five extremely rare and striking Central Bank of Jordan banknote die proof engraver's test strike portrait vignettes, colour trials in red, blue and mauve with profile portrait of King Hussein of Jordan, on oversized paper/card with partial and full-plate margins, one trimmed on all sides, two with faint titled details to lower half (all very fine/extremely fine). Note: this style of portrait was used on notes issued circa 1949-1955. Provenance: from the personal archive of the late Alan Dow, master banknote engraver to Bradbury Wilkinson & Co and the Bank of England.

A group of three extremely rare Arab Bank Limited partial die proof engraver's test strikes for the obverse of a Jordanian traveller's cheque, each in blue with portrait vignette of Abdul Hameed Shoman, founder of Arab Bank 1890-1974, on oversized paper/card, together with a group of four die proof engraver's test strike vignettes of Abdul Hameed Shoman, comprising three in blue and one in black (all extremely fine). Provenance: from the personal archive of the late Alan Dow, master banknote engraver to Bradbury Wilkinson & Co and the Bank of England.

A group of eight rare Government of Brunei banknote die proof engraver's test strike portrait vignettes of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah I in military uniform, colour trials in black/brown on oversized part-cut and part torn paper/card, printer's comments to lower edge margin (very fine, some handling marks). Provenance: from the personal archive of the late Alan Dow, master banknote engraver to Bradbury Wilkinson & Co and the Bank of England.

An extremely rare and striking Kerajaan Brunei, Government of Brunei partial banknote die proof engraver's test strike for the obverse of a fifty dollars note, with portrait vignette of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah I in military uniform to right side, values in corners, together with a die proof engraver's test strike vignette of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah I in pale brown/black, as used on the aforementioned note, both tack-mounted on paper with cut frames (both extremely fine). Provenance: from the personal archive of the late Alan Dow, master banknote engraver to Bradbury Wilkinson & Co and the Bank of England.

An extremely rare Government of Brunei partial banknote progressive die proof engraver's test strike for the obverse of a ten ringgit or ten dollars note, in red with portrait vignette of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah I in military uniform to right side, values to corners, on oversized paper/card (extremely fine). Provenance: from the personal archive of the late Alan Dow, master banknote engraver to Bradbury Wilkinson & Co and the Bank of England.

A group of three rare Iraq banknote die proof engraver's test strike portrait vignettes of Saddam Hussein in deep blue, on oversized paper with printer's notes in pencil to edge margins (good/very fine, some handling marks, one with taped transparency covering). Provenance: from the personal archive of the late Alan Dow, master banknote engraver to Bradbury Wilkinson & Co and the Bank of England.

An extremely rare Iraq banknote die proof engraver's test strike portrait vignette of Saddam Hussein in purple, on oversized paper/card with nearly full-plate margins and inked printer's comments to lower edge. Note: a similar portrait was used on Iraq bonds circa mid-1980s (extremely fine). Provenance: from the personal archive of the late Alan Dow, master banknote engraver to Bradbury Wilkinson & Co and the Bank of England.

An extremely rare Central Bank of Iraq partial banknote die proof engraver's test strike for the obverse of a five dinars note, circa 1953, in red with portrait vignette of the young King Faisal II to right side (some light soiling and handling marks), together with two further die proof engraver's test strike vignettes of King Faisal II in black. Provenance: from the personal archive of the late Alan Dow, master banknote engraver to Bradbury Wilkinson & Co and the Bank of England.

An extremely rare and striking National Bank of Iraq partial banknote die proof engraver's test strike for the reverse of a half-dinar note, circa 1959, in light brown with depiction of the ruins of the Great Mosque of Samarra, titled 'National Bank of Iraq' to top centre, values to corners and in large script to left hand side, on paper/card mounted stuck on card base (extremely fine). Provenance: from the personal archive of the late Alan Dow, master banknote engraver to Bradbury Wilkinson & Co and the Bank of England.

An extremely rare and striking National Bank of Iraq partial banknote die proof engraver's test strike for the reverse of a half-dinar note, circa 1959, in light brown with depiction of the ruins of the Great Mosque of Samarra, titled 'National Bank of Iraq' to top centre, values to corners and in large script to left hand side, on paper/card (extremely fine). Provenance: from the personal archive of the late Alan Dow, master banknote engraver to Bradbury Wilkinson & Co and the Bank of England.

Two very rare Morocco Banque du Maroc banknote die proof engraver's test strike portrait vignettes of King Muhammad V wearing fez in black, on oversized paper/card, one trimmed, the other with near full-plate margins (both very fine). Note: probably not adopted for use, though very similar to that used on early 1965 issue notes. Provenance: from the personal archive of the late Alan Dow, master banknote engraver to Bradbury Wilkinson & Co and the Bank of England.

An extremely rare and striking Arab Republic Yemen Currency Board partial banknote progressive die proof engraver's test strike for the obverse of a five rials note, issued circa 1973, in deep red with depiction of the buildings of Wadi Du'an to far left side, values to corners, ink bleeding to fields, on paper/card with virtually four plate margins, together with two die proof engraver's test strike partial vignettes of the buildings of Wadi Du'an, on part-cut and part-torn paper/card (all extremely fine). Provenance: from the personal archive of the late Alan Dow, master banknote engraver to Bradbury Wilkinson & Co and the Bank of England.

A group of seven extremely rare and striking United Arab Emirates partial banknote progressive die proof engraver's test strikes for the obverse of a five hundred dirhams note, in brown with falcon to the right hand side, some contrasting ink bleed, values to corners, watermark to lower border detailed 'United Arab Emirates 500 FT. 1981, on oversized paper/card, most with near full-plate margins (all extremely fine). Provenance: from the personal archive of the late Alan Dow, master banknote engraver to Bradbury Wilkinson & Co and the Bank of England.

A group of five extremely rare United Arab Emirates partial banknote progressive die proof engraver's test strikes for the obverse of a one thousand dirhams note, in brown with Arabian coffee pot to right side, values to corners, one partially erased, watermark to lower border detailed 'United Arab Emirates 1000 FT. 1981', on oversized paper/card, most with near to full-plate margins (all extremely fine). Provenance: from the personal archive of the late Alan Dow, master banknote engraver to Bradbury Wilkinson & Co and the Bank of England.

An extremely rare Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency banknote die proof engraver's test strike portrait vignette of King Fahd of Saudi Arabia in black on paper/card, together with a printed design copy of a ten riyals note with applied test strike of King Fahd, tack-mounted on paper with cut frames (some rippling to paper but good/very fine overall). Note: this style of portrait was used on notes issued circa 1983. Provenance: from the personal archive of the late Alan Dow, master banknote engraver to Bradbury Wilkinson & Co and the Bank of England.

A rare Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency banknote die proof engraver's test strike portrait vignette of King Fahd of Saudi Arabia in black on white paper/card with four plate margins (extremely fine). Note: this style of portrait was used on notes issued circa early 1980s. Provenance: from the personal archive of the late Alan Dow, master banknote engraver to Bradbury Wilkinson & Co and the Bank of England.