20 colones 1966

Common. The 20 Colones 1966 (Pick 231a) was part of a standard circulation series issued by the Banco Central de Costa Rica. No historical evidence suggests limited print runs, recalls, or short-lived issuance periods. The series remained in circulation for an extended period, making examples readily available to collectors. AU condition examples like this one are not exceptional, though they represent above-average preservation for notes of this age.

This 1966 banknote reflects Costa Rica's modernization during the 1960s, as evidenced by the prominent depiction of the Rodrigo Facio University City's Faculty of Education building on the reverse—a symbol of the nation's investment in contemporary educational infrastructure. Clodomir Picado, honored on the obverse, was a significant figure in Costa Rican history, representing the nation's intellectual and political heritage during a period of relative stability and development. The Banco Central de Costa Rica's adoption of modernist architectural imagery on its currency underscores the country's forward-looking national identity during this era.

This banknote showcases a classical design typical of the De La Rue printing house's mid-20th century Costa Rican work. The obverse features a formal left-facing profile portrait of Clodomir Picado within an ornate oval frame, surrounded by elaborate decorative floral medallions in the corners and side panels. Red serial numbers appear in the upper corners. The reverse depicts the Faculty of Education building at Rodrigo Facio University City, a modernist institutional structure with horizontal lines flanked by cypress trees, set within a landscaped campus environment. Both sides employ consistent brown, tan, and cream coloration with matching corner denomination markers (20) and ornamental floral medallions framing the design. The architectural rendering on the reverse is rendered in meticulous fine-line engraving, complementing the portrait work on the obverse.

FRONT: 'BANCO CENTRAL DE COSTA RICA' (Central Bank of Costa Rica); 'VEINTE COLONES' (Twenty Colones); 'SERIE B' (Series B); Serial Number 'B1633571' (appears twice in red); 'CLODOMIR PICADO' (honoree's name); '7 de noviembre de 1966' (November 7, 1966); 'SAN JOSÉ, COSTA RICA' (San José, Costa Rica); 'ACUERDO DE LA JUNTA DIRECTIVA Nº 5' (Board of Directors Agreement No. 5); 'EL PRESIDENTE DE LA JUNTA DIRECTIVA' (The President of the Board of Directors); 'GERENTE DEL BANCO' (Manager of the Bank); 'THOMAS DE LA RUE & COMPANY, LIMITED.' (printer credit). BACK: 'BANCO CENTRAL DE COSTA RICA' (Central Bank of Costa Rica); 'VEINTE COLONES' (Twenty Colones); 'FACULTAD DE EDUCACIÓN' (Faculty of Education); 'CIUDAD UNIVERSITARIA RODRIGO FACIO' (Rodrigo Facio University City).

Intaglio engraving (line engraving), as evidenced by the fine detailed line work visible throughout both obverse and reverse. The printer credit 'THOMAS DE LA RUE & COMPANY, LIMITED.' confirms production by De La Rue, the renowned British security printer. The decorative patterns, ornate frames, and detailed portrait rendering are characteristic of traditional intaglio processes employed for banknote security printing during the 1960s.

Series B is identified on this note. Pick 231a represents the standard 1966 issue dated November 7, 1966. The serial number observed (B1633571) indicates Series B production. Varieties for this issue may include different series designations (A, B, etc.) and corresponding serial number prefixes, though detailed variety cataloging would require reference to specialized Costa Rican numismatic literature. The date of 7.11.66 appears consistent with the printed date on the note.