1 escudos 1962
Market Prices
8 salesAbout This Note
This is a well-preserved example of Chile's 1962 issue 1 Escudo banknote (Pick 135Aa) in UNC condition, featuring a dignified portrait of Arturo Prat, the celebrated Chilean naval hero, rendered in engraved purple and brown tones. The reverse depicts a historically significant scene of the founding of Santiago with colonial military figures, accompanied by the Chilean coat of arms. The sharp engraving details, crisp printing, and complete absence of wear make this an excellent example of mid-20th century Chilean currency design.
Common. This is a regular-issue note from the Banco Central de Chile's 1962 Escudo series with a substantial print run. eBay market data shows consistent sales in the $1-4 range across multiple condition grades (VF to EF), with UNC catalog value listed at $1 (2019 pricing). The circulation of multiple examples on the secondary market and modest pricing across all grades indicates this is a readily available note in the collector market.
Issued in 1962 by the Banco Central de Chile, this banknote commemorates two pivotal figures in Chilean history: Arturo Prat, the revered naval officer who died heroically during the War of the Pacific (1879-1884), and the founding of Santiago de Chile in 1541. The reverse scene depicting the colonial military encampment with flags and pikes references Pedro de Valdivia's establishment of the capital, representing Chile's foundational moment, while Prat's portrait honors the nation's more recent maritime heritage and military pride.
The obverse features a formal oval-framed portrait of Arturo Prat, the bearded Chilean naval hero, centered and flanked by signature lines for the bank's President and General Manager. The portrait is surrounded by elaborate ornamental borders featuring geometric guilloche patterns and floral scrollwork typical of high-security banknote design. The reverse presents an engraved historical scene depicting the founding of Santiago with multiple figures in colonial Spanish military attire gathered around flags and pikes in a dramatic landscape composition. The Chilean coat of arms (shield with star) appears prominently on the left side of the reverse. Both sides employ the purple-brown color scheme on tan underprint and share matching ornate corner flourishes and border treatments.
Front side: 'BANCO CENTRAL DE CHILE' (Central Bank of Chile), 'UN ESCUDO' (One Escudo), 'ARTURO PRAT' (portrait identification), 'PRESIDENTE' (President - signature line), 'GERENTE GENERAL' (General Manager - signature line), serial number '888180', series designation 'I-18', denomination '1'. Back side: 'BANCO CENTRAL DE CHILE' (Central Bank of Chile), 'UN ESCUDO' (One Escudo), 'FUNDACION DE SANTIAGO' (Founding of Santiago), 'CASA DE MONEDA DE CHILE' (Chilean Mint - printer mark), denomination '1'.
Steel engraving on offset lithography, produced by Casa de Moneda de Chile (Chilean Mint), the official printer for Banco Central de Chile. The fine detail preservation visible in both the portrait and the complex historical scene, combined with the ornate guilloche patterns and security borders, indicates professional intaglio engraving with multi-color lithographic underprinting. The sharp line work and clarity of inscription detail throughout confirm high-quality security printing standards of the early 1960s.
Series G-I designation noted on the front. The visual analysis confirms the standard watermark is Balmaceda (typical for this issue), with no watermark on the back right as documented in reference catalogs. Serial number 888180 with series prefix I-18 visible on the examined specimen. This appears to be the standard Series G-I variety without notable overprints or printing variants.
