Last year, I posted about a 1954 Un Peso note from Columbia and noted how it was part of an exhibit of coins, medals and bank notes that I assembled for exhibit during National Coin Week - all included items featured a depiction of an allegorical Liberty. Here's another note from Columbia that I included in the exhibit. (You can check that post out here:
1954 Columbia Un Peso.)
The note of focus this time out is a 1983 20 Pesos note from Columbia. It measures 140mm horizontally by 70mm vertically. The note was distributed by Columbia's Banco de la República (Bank of the Republic of Columbia).
The front of the note features a forward-facing portrait of Francisco Jose de Caldas at right (printed in black). Caldas (b. October 4, 1768; d. October 28, 1816) was many things in his life: a lawyer, a scientist, a mathematician, a geographer and an advocate for freedom. His role in Columbia's fight for independence ultimately resulted in his arrest and execution via firing squad under orders from the Spanish General Pablo Morillo.
On the note, Caldas is depicted working with a celestial globe (printed in green), a nod to his time as Director of the Santa Fe de Bogotá Observatory - an observatory without a telescope at the time! His tenure at the observatory coincided with the early days of the Columbian independence movement, with the observatory being used as a meeting place by those planning for revolt against Spanish authorities in 1809. Caldas left his post at the observatory in 1810 and became an engineer in the military and a cartographer.
The background color of the note is light brown/coffee.
A large "20" (for the note's denomination of 20 Pesos) is just left of center and is surrounded by elaborate scroll work; scroll work frames the smaller "20" figures in each of the note's corners.
The inscriptions on the front of the note translate as follows:
- EL BANCO DE LA REPUBLICA = THE BANK OF THE REPUBLIC
- PAGARA AL PORTADOR = WILL PAY THE BEARER
- VIENTE PESOS ORO = TWENTY PESOS
- ENERO 1 DE 1983 = JANUARY 1 1983
- GERENTE = MANAGER
- SECRETARIO = SECRETARY
The central vignette on the back of the note presents multiple indigenous aritfacts that are part of the collection of the Museo de Oro (Gold Museum) in Bogota. Above the vignette is the logo of the Banco de la República (Bank of the Republic of Columbia), which presents an allegorical female figure symbolic of liberty - the figure is inspired by Marianne of the French Revolution). The notes denomination is indicated by four "20's" within scroll work and the inscription "VIENTE PESOS ORO" at the bottom.
For other of my posts about commemorative coins and medals, and other currency stories, see:
Commems Collection.
Posted 10/22/2023 4:49 pm
