1 peso 1869

Common. The eBay price tracking data shows multiple listings across a wide range of grades, with numerous sales under $200, and several in the $20-$125 range, indicating this is a readily available note in the collector market. The Pick catalog records only one variant for this base number, and PMG's population report reflects routine grading activity without rarity indicators. While scarce by absolute standards (early 1869 Colombian regional issues), this note is common within its category of Estado Soberano issues.

Issued on November 9, 1869, this note reflects the decentralized fiscal structure of the Estados Unidos de Colombia, when individual sovereign states like Cundinamarca maintained the right to issue their own currency. The designation as 'Floating Debt Voucher Without Interest' (Vale de Deuda Flotante Sin Interés) indicates this was a government financial instrument rather than traditional currency, used to manage state finances during a period of constitutional restructuring and regional autonomy in Colombia.

The note features a symmetrical layout with ornamental circles containing the numeral '1' positioned in the upper left and right corners on both sides. The dominant design element is a central oval medallion containing a landscape scene, likely representing the Cundinamarca region's geography or an agricultural/valley setting symbolic of regional prosperity. Elaborate scrollwork and flourishes frame the design, with decorative cross motifs visible on the left (front) and right (reverse) sides. The entire note is rendered in black/dark gray engraving on beige/cream paper stock, typical of 1860s Colombian regional issues. The design reflects the formal, dignified aesthetic of Federal-period Colombian financial instruments.

FRONT SIDE: 'ESTADOS UNIDOS DE COLOMBIA' (United States of Colombia) | 'EL ESTADO SOBERANO DE CUNDINAMARCA' (The Sovereign State of Cundinamarca) | 'UN PESO' (One Peso) | 'Bogotá 9 de Noviembre 1869' (Bogotá 9 November 1869) | 'Número 846' (Number 846) | 'EL SECRETARIO DE HACIENDA' (The Secretary of Finance) | 'EL ADMINISTRADOR GENERAL' (The General Administrator) | 'VALE DE DEUDA FLOTANTE SIN INTERES' (Floating Debt Voucher Without Interest). REVERSE SIDE: 'COLOMBIA' (Colombia) | 'UN PESO' (One Peso) | 'EL ADMINISTRADOR GENERAL' (The General Administrator) | 'EL SECRETARIO DE HACIENDA' (The Secretary of Finance) | [Extensive handwritten signatures and authorizing script, largely illegible in reproduction].

The note was produced using steel engraving, evidenced by the crisp, detailed rendering of the ornate borders, geometric patterns, and fine scrollwork visible throughout both sides. The precision of the numeral circles and the delicate calligraphy demonstrate skilled engraving work characteristic of mid-19th-century security printing. Handwritten signatures and authorization marks were applied by hand after printing, a standard practice for government financial instruments of this period.

Serial number 846 is recorded on this example. The specific authorization signatures on the reverse may vary between examples. The date of issue (Bogotá 9 de Noviembre 1869) is consistent across the issue. No overprints or significant varieties are evident in the visual analysis. The circular hole punch appears to be a standard cancellation or accounting mark applied consistently across the issue.