50 Afghanis

Bradbury, Wilkinson printed this series for Afghanistan at a time when the Ministry of Finance — rather than a central bank — retained direct control over note issuance, an arrangement that persisted longer in Afghanistan than in most contemporaneous states. BW&Co. produced a substantial portion of the world's colonial and semi-colonial currency during this period, and their Afghan commissions reflect Kabul's preference for London-area security printers over continental alternatives.

Pick 19A is the scarcer of the two signature varieties in this denomination. Notes that circulated in rural areas often show distinctive horizontal fold patterns from being carried folded in quarters inside clothing — a known condition characteristic of Afghan issues from this era.