1 colon 1954

Common. The 1954 1 colón (Pick 87) is a standard circulation issue from El Salvador's central bank with no known print run restrictions or special circumstances that would limit its availability. The eBay price tracking data provided shows consistent sales in the $35-$97 range for grades VF-65, with UNC catalog values at $50 (as of 2016). The note was part of a regular series spanning 1950-1954 and was produced in quantities sufficient for general circulation. Its presence in UNC condition reflects proper storage rather than extreme scarcity.

This banknote was issued during the mid-twentieth century by El Salvador's central bank and depicts the nation's two primary economic and cultural symbols: the coffee plant, which was central to El Salvador's export economy, and Lake Coatepeque, one of the country's most significant geographical features. The 1954 date represents a period of relative monetary stability in El Salvador, with the colón serving as the established currency under the constitutional framework referenced in the note's legal language.

The obverse features a panoramic landscape of Lake Coatepeque occupying the center-right portion of the note, with mountains, a valley, and a visible rural settlement bisected by a river, rendered in naturalistic style typical of mid-century bank note design. The left side displays a detailed botanical illustration of a coffee plant with berries and foliage, symbolizing El Salvador's primary agricultural export. The denomination '1' appears in decorative quatrefoil corner frames and within an ornamental circular central medallion. The reverse displays a formal portrait (identified by external catalog sources as Christopher Columbus) presented in a circular frame surrounded by elaborate ornamental borders and scrollwork. The official seal of the Banco Central de Reserva appears on the left side of the reverse. Both sides feature the characteristic fine-line engraving patterns and background guillochés associated with security printing of the era.

FRONT: 'EL BANCO CENTRAL DE RESERVA DE EL SALVADOR' (The Central Reserve Bank of El Salvador); 'SERIE TA' (Series TA); Serial number 5964683; 'PAGARA AL PORTADOR UN COLON DE ACUERDO CON EL ARTICULO 29 DE SU LEY CONSTITUTIVA' (Will pay the bearer one colón in accordance with article 29 of its constitutional law); 'SAN SALVADOR 17 DE MARZO DE 1954' (San Salvador, March 17, 1954); Signature lines for 'DIRECTOR' (Director), 'PRESIDENTE' (President), and 'CAJERO' (Cashier); 'WATERLOW & SONS LIMITED, LONDRES' (Waterlow & Sons Limited, London). BACK: 'BANCO CENTRAL DE RESERVA DE EL SALVADOR' (Central Reserve Bank of El Salvador); 'UN COLON' (One Colón); 'San Salvador, 19 de Noviembre de 1954' (San Salvador, November 19, 1954); 'WATERLOW & SONS LIMITED, LONDRES' (Waterlow & Sons Limited, London).

Intaglio engraving (steel plate or copper plate engraving), executed by Waterlow & Sons Limited of London, a prominent security printer of the mid-twentieth century. The note displays the characteristic fine line work, complex background patterns, and intricate detail work that define intaglio-printed currency. No evidence of lithography or other printing methods is visible; the entire design was executed through traditional engraved plate printing techniques with multicolor application on the obverse (pink/mauve base with green and black accents) and single-color application on the reverse (red/coral).

This specific note is identified as the March 17, 1954 (17.3.1954) dated variety with Series TA designation and serial number 5964683. The catalog indicates the 1950-1954 series includes multiple date varieties (1950, 6.11.1952, and 17.3.1954), suggesting staggered printing runs or reissues. The obverse date of March 17, 1954 combined with the reverse date of November 19, 1954 indicates this is from the late-period printing within the series. No overprints, security features, or exceptional markings that would constitute a distinct variety are apparent in the visual analysis.