Security printing

Security printers have always tried to be one step ahead of the forger, seeking ways to make their product more complex, more sophisticated, more secure.  Originally this would have been simply through the design work, water marks, metal strips in bank notes, and etc.  All would hopefully deter the forger from the effort or cause him to make more easily detected mistakes.

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The Shares certificates below are all low values and date from the late 1950s through to the early 1970s.  Apart from the amazing edge designs the images in panels at the top give a reassuring solidity to the investor.

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Suitable for securely sending money for those without a bank account, although Postal Orders are still available (printed at the Post Office counter on demand to the exact value required), their heyday belongs to an earlier era.  Odd amounts were made up of postage stamps. .  Adverts at the time said they were cashable in 56 countries. 

Old UK cheques Cheques dated 1867 and 1885. Gurneys, Birkbecks, Barclay & Buxton all were independent family banks at the beginning of the 19th Century. Inter-related by marriage, they also had religion in common - including Lloyds and Frys they were Quakers (Society of Friends). Elizabeth Fry the prison reformer was born Elizabeth Gurney. Gurneys were headquartered at Norwich.	More old UK cheques A timely reminder of how banks come and go!!!
6 Shilling Postal Order 1971 Made payable to Littlewoods Pools but unsigned and unsent (was the big payout missed on this one??!!). This PO covers a transitional period from £SD to decimal coinage.	Postal Orders 1994 3 Low value denominations.
Accomack Storage Co. Printers, National Seal Works	Accomack reverse Sometimes the back of the certificates are almost as good as the front
Keystone Chemical Company	Pan American World Airways, Inc. Printer: American Bank Note Company
The Pennsylvania Railroad Company Printer: American Bank Note Company	Ten Shilling Bank Note Front at top. 10 bob. Written numerically as 10/- . The UK went decimal in Feb 1971 when this was replaced by the 50 pence piece.
500 Rouble Note from Tzarist Russia 1912. The front show Peter the Great and Catherine the Great. This huge note from Holy & Imperial Mother Russia measures 11” x 5”.	German Weimar Republic Hyper-inflation note for 500,000 marks Going shopping meant a shopping basket full of such notes, the basket would be stolen and the notes left as they were essentially worthless by the time they were printed. Security printing must have been meaningless in the circumstances.
Two Pence Blue 1866 Issued between 1858-1870	One Penny Red 1866 Plate 80.