Catalog
See full images - free registration
Continue with Google - no registration!
or register with email
Why register? Just to keep bots out of our catalog. Your email stays private - we will never share it or send you anything uninvited. We guarantee you that!
20 Centavos
| Issuer | Tesoro del Gobierno Departamental, Medellín |
|---|---|
| Year | 1902 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Size | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Rectangular |
| Printer | Log in to see details |
| Designer(s) | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | Log in to see details |
| Obverse description | Plain paper note with a fine guilloche dot underprint across the entire field. The denomination '20' appears in large numerals at upper left, followed by 'CENTAVOS' in bold letterpress. The central text reads 'GOBIERNO DEPARTAMENTAL' in large capitals, with a promise-to-pay clause in Spanish — 'El Tesoro del Departamento pagará a la vista en moneda corriente' — above the large lettered value 'VEINTE CENTAVOS'. The place and date 'Medellín, Julio de 1902' appear at lower right, with the title 'El Subsecretario de Hacienda' at lower left; a red stamped serial number and series letter are visible at upper right. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | 20 CENTAVOS GOBIERNO DEPARTAMENTAL El Tesoro del Departamento pagará a la vista en moneda corriente VEINTE CENTAVOS Medellín, Julio de 1902 El Subsecretario de Hacienda Libranza N.o SERIE A |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Signature(s) | Log in to see details |
| Protection type | Log in to see details |
| Protection description | Log in to see details |
| Variants | Log in to see details |
| Comments |
The Tesoro del Gobierno Departamental of Medellín issued emergency fractional notes during the Thousand Days War (1899–1902), one of the bloodiest civil conflicts in Colombian history. Chronic coin shortages — silver had largely vanished from circulation — forced departmental and municipal treasuries across the country to print their own low-denomination paper to keep local commerce functioning. These notes had no federal backing and were only as good as the department that issued them.
Locally printed in Medellín, the production quality reflects wartime constraints rather than any established note-printing tradition in Antioquia.