VENEZUELA. Banco Central De Venezuela. 100 Bolivares, ND (1953). P-Unlisted. Proof. PMG Gem Uncirculated 65 EPQ. Printed by TDLR. A neat piece of history for "what could have been" if this design type was approved by the Banco Central de Venezuela. After the controversial Thomas de la Rue series of 1952-53 was pulled from circulation due to their depiction of Simon Bolivar, TDLR quickly went back to the drawing board to re-design their engraving of the portrait. The likeness of TDLRs original vignette was changed to resemble ABNCs rendition, as American Bank Note Co.s vignette had circulated for decades and was considered the norm. TDLRs re-designed notes would be released for the 1963 series, and the changes were subtle to the 10, 20, and 50 Bolivares (guilloche, portrait and lathe work of underprint). The exception for the series was the 100 Bolivares, as the design offered here to collectors was rejected by Banco Central de Venezuela, and a note with a side facing profile of El Libertador was released instead, along with other various differences to the front design.<p>Richard Rosenman wrote an extensive article in the I.B.N.S. Journal about this note, which is called ""Missing" Venezuelan Note Surfaces as Proof". To quote Mr. Rosenman about this important note, "Such items are frequently buried in the archives and files of the printer or client bank and only rarely find their way into the hands of a collector or researcher who would recognize their historical significance." This important proof will now change hands publicly, and will certainly be appreciated by any collector of rare Venezuelan or TDLR produced paper. From the Rosenman Collection.
