Richard Adams Collection

A collection of original bank-note designs and specimens from British security printer Bradbury Wilkinson & Co. sold for £542,500 (approximately US$722,000) at a Special Auction Services (SAS) sale in Newbury, West Berkshire, England. The archive of 300 items, which included essays, models, and test prints, belonged to Richard Adams, who joined the security printer as a bank-note designer in 1972 at the age of 24 and retired in 2016. The company produced bank notes for over 150 countries, including those in the Far East, Africa, and Europe. Adams was responsible for creating a number of notable designs for Saudi Arabia, Malta, Suriname, and Kenya.

A noteworthy lot was a one-sided specimen proof of a 100-riyals note for the former Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority. Initially estimated at £300-£500 (US$399-$665), it sold for £40,000 (US$53,300). Another highlight, a rare hand-painted essay—possibly a 1930s model for a Saudi Arabia 1-riyal note—fetched £28,750 (US$38,200).

SAS director Thomas Forrester praised the results, saying Adams’s expertise and passion were inspiring and that the originality and freshness of the notes contributed to the strong demand and impressive prices achieved.