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5 Centésimos Emergency Postal Script Issues
| Issuer | Uruguay |
|---|---|
| Year | 1868 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 5 Centésimos (0.05 UYP) |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Designer(s) | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | REPUBLICA ORIENTAL DEL URUGUAY 5 CENTECIMOS MONTEVIDEO (Translation: Oriental Republic of Uruguay 5 Cents Montevideo) |
| Reverse description | Uniface; the reverse is plain and bears no printed inscriptions, vignettes, or underprint, consistent with the emergency postal script nature of this issue. |
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| Comments |
Uruguay's 1868 postal script issues emerged from a chronic small-change shortage that plagued the country through much of the mid-nineteenth century. Fractional metallic currency simply wasn't circulating in sufficient quantities, and the postal administration — not the banking system — stepped in to fill the gap. These were never intended as banknotes in any formal sense; they were postage-adjacent instruments pressed into monetary service by necessity.
The 5 Centésimos denomination is among the most fragile survivors of the series. Heavy handling destroyed most examples, and the improvised nature of the original issue meant quality controls were inconsistent across printings.