1 peso 1869

Common. eBay market data shows consistent sales activity with prices ranging from $7.51 to $18 across various grades from 2012-2016, with catalogue values in 2016 listing UNC examples at $15. These modest price points and active market circulation indicate this is a commonly available note among collectors. While AU examples command higher prices than lower grades, the note was issued in substantial quantities as regular currency of the Spanish colonial period and remains readily obtainable.

This note was issued on May 15, 1895 (with the date inscribed as 'Habana, 15 de Mayo de 1895'), during the final years of Spanish colonial rule in Cuba and the regency of Maria Cristina of Spain following King Alfonso XII's death. The prominence of the Spanish royal coat of arms and the portrait of the Queen Regent on the reverse reflect Cuba's status as a Spanish possession at this time. The note's promise to pay 'al portador' (to the bearer) in metallic currency demonstrates the monetary standards of the late 19th-century colonial Spanish banking system.

The front of this note is dominated by the Spanish royal coat of arms, displayed in an ornate circular medallion at the center-top, symbolizing sovereign authority. The design employs elaborate classical borders featuring intricate floral and geometric patterns that frame all edges of the note. The reverse features a left-facing portrait of Queen Regent Maria Cristina, the regent of Spain during the minority of King Alfonso XIII, positioned prominently in the center. This portrait is flanked by two identical ornate floral medallions incorporating cross or fleur-de-lis motifs, emphasizing the royal and religious authority of the Spanish crown. Text identifying the issuing bank and the American Bank Note Company printer is positioned at the bottom. The overall aesthetic is characterized by dense engraved ornamentation typical of high-denomination colonial currency, with serial numbers in red appearing on the front.

FRONT SIDE: 'El Banco Español de la Isla de Cuba' = 'The Spanish Bank of the Island of Cuba'; 'A la presentación de este billete pagará al portador' = 'Upon presentation of this banknote will pay to the bearer'; 'Un Peso' = 'One Peso'; 'En Metálico' = 'In Metallic (coin)'; 'Habana, 15 de Mayo de 1895' = 'Havana, May 15, 1895'; 'Serie No 3089067' = 'Series Number 3089067'; 'El Consejero' = 'The Counselor'; 'El Gobernador' = 'The Governor'; 'El Cajero' = 'The Cashier'; 'American Bank Note Co' = 'American Bank Note Company'. BACK SIDE: 'De Isla de Cuba' = 'Of the Island of Cuba'; 'American Bank Note Company New York' = 'American Bank Note Company New York'.

This note was produced using steel engraving and intaglio printing methods, as evidenced by the intricate line work, fine detail in the portrait rendering, and deeply impressed impressions visible in the ornamental borders and scrollwork. The American Bank Note Company of New York, one of the world's premier currency printers of the era, employed their signature multi-color printing techniques and security engraving methods. The crisp definition of the royal coat of arms, the detailed facial features of Queen Maria Cristina, and the complex decorative patterns throughout all demonstrate the high-quality intaglio process characteristic of American Bank Note Company production. The red serial numbers were applied separately, as was standard practice.

This example is identified as Pick P-47a, the primary variety of the 1 Peso 1895 issue dated May 15, 1895. The specific serial number (No. 3089067) and signature configuration featuring 'El Consejero,' 'El Gobernador,' and 'El Cajero' are consistent with the standard production run. Various series and serial number prefixes exist for this issue, but no major recognized sub-varieties have been catalogued beyond the standard P-47a designation. The printer attribution (American Bank Note Company) and the inscription 'Habana, 15 de Mayo de 1895' are consistent across examples.