10 pesos 1964 specimen
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A stunning specimen example of the Cuban 10 Pesos from 1964 (Pick P-96bs), featuring a bold portrait of independence hero Máximo Gómez on the obverse and a revolutionary-era scene depicting Fidel Castro addressing crowds during the Declaration of Havana on the reverse. The note exhibits pristine uncirculated condition with crisp brown and tan printing, ornate engraved borders, and repeated patriotic slogans woven throughout the design—a significant artifact from the early years of the Cuban Revolution.
Common. The eBay price tracking data provided in the reference catalog shows consistent sales in the $12–$28 range for various grades (F to VF to EF) between 2015–2016, with catalogue values pegged at $5 (VF) and $23 (UNC) as of 2019. These modest prices and regular sales activity indicate a reasonably available note in the secondary market. While the 1964 series date may have a slightly lower mintage than earlier issues, the specimen variety itself does not appear to command a significant premium; specimen notes from this era were produced in deliberate quantities for bank distribution and numismatic institutions. No evidence of recall, scarcity, or restricted circulation supports a rarer classification.
Issued by the Banco Nacional de Cuba during the early revolutionary period (1961-1965), this note commemorates two pivotal moments in Cuban history: Máximo Gómez, the legendary military leader of the Cuban War of Independence, and the Declaration of Havana of September 2, 1960, which solidified Cuba's revolutionary ideology. The repeated inscriptions 'Muerte a Patria o Muerte' (Death to Country or Death) and 'Cuba Territorio Libre de América' (Cuba Free Territory of America) explicitly reflect the nationalist fervor and anti-imperialist rhetoric of Castro's government during this transformative period.
The obverse features a classical engraved portrait of Máximo Gómez (1836–1905), the Dominican-born Cuban military commander and independence hero, depicted in profile facing right within an ornate oval frame surrounded by a laurel wreath symbolizing victory and honor. The reverse depicts the historic moment of the Declaration of Havana, showing a revolutionary leader (Fidel Castro) addressing a mass gathering in what appears to be a Havana plaza, with multi-story buildings representing the urban setting. The entire design employs fine-line engraving with decorative corner cartouches, repeated patriotic text bands as background pattern elements, and consistent brown-on-tan-and-yellow color scheme. The denomination appears prominently in large numerals and spelled-out Spanish text in all four corners and sides. Security features include the detailed engraved work, fine line patterns, and the embedded repeated-text watermark pattern.
{"front":{"BANCO NACIONAL DE CUBA":"National Bank of Cuba","DIEZ PESOS":"Ten Pesos","SERIE DE 1964":"Series of 1964","MAXIMO GOMEZ":"Máximo Gómez","PRESIDENTE DEL BANCO":"President of the Bank","MINISTRO DE HACIENDA":"Minister of Treasury","MUERTE A PATRIA O MUERTE":"Death to Country or Death","CUBA TERRITORIO LIBRE DE AMERICA":"Cuba Free Territory of America","GARANTIZADO INTEGRAMENTE CON EL ORO, CAMBIO EXTRANJERO CONVERTIBLE EN ORO Y TODOS LOS DEMAS ACTIVOS DEL BANCO NACIONAL DE CUBA. ESTE BILLETE CONSTITUYE UNA OBLIGACION DEL ESTADO CUBANO":"Guaranteed entirely with gold, foreign exchange convertible into gold and all other assets of the National Bank of Cuba. This note constitutes an obligation of the Cuban state","SPECIMEN":"Specimen"},"back":{"REPUBLICA DE CUBA":"Republic of Cuba","DECLARACION DE LA HABANA 2 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE 1960":"Declaration of Havana September 2, 1960","ESTE BILLETE TIENE CURSO LEGAL Y FUERZA LIBERATORIA ILIMITADA DE ACUERDO CON LA LEY, PARA EL PAGO DE TODA OBLIGACION CONTRAIDA O A CUMPLIR EN EL TERRITORIO NACIONAL":"This note has legal tender status and unlimited liberatory power according to law, for the payment of all obligations contracted or to be fulfilled in the national territory","DIEZ / PESOS":"Ten / Pesos"}}
Intaglio (engraving) printing, executed by STC-P (Sociedad Tipográfica Cubana), as noted in the catalog reference. The detailed portraiture, fine-line cross-hatching, ornamental borders, and complex crowd scene on the reverse are characteristic of high-quality intaglio production. No imprint appears on this specimen variety.
This is a specimen variety (P-96bs), as indicated by the diagonal red 'SPECIMEN' overprint visible on the obverse. The Pick catalog distinction between P-96 (regular issue) and P-96bs (specimen) is significant. The serial prefix 'E 74' and serial number '739643' observed on this example are consistent with the 1964 series printing. The specimen overprint and lack of circulation use are the defining characteristics of this variety; specimens were not released into general circulation and were typically retained by the issuing bank or sent to corresponents and institutions for reference.
