1 peso 1914
About This Note
This is a 1 peso banknote issued by the Estado de Durango in January 1914, catalog Pick S731a, graded in Fine condition. The note features an allegorical female figure (Liberty or Justice) holding spear and shield on the obverse, with the denomination prominently displayed in an ornamental cartouche. The reverse bears faded handwritten text against a pale green background. As a state-issued emergency currency from Mexico's Revolutionary period, this note represents the decentralized monetary attempts by regional governments during political instability, with visible circulation wear including creases, foxing, and discoloration consistent with its historical use.
common. Estado de Durango issued multiple series of emergency currency in 1914, and while individual notes from this era see limited circulation in the modern collector market, the print runs were substantial enough to make surviving examples reasonably available to collectors. The Fine condition grade and identifiable series (J) with legible serial number (47351) suggest this is a representative example rather than an exceptional rarity. These notes circulated actively during their period of use and sufficient quantities have survived to prevent classification as scarce or rare.
The Estado de Durango issued this emergency currency in early 1914 during the Mexican Revolution, when central government authority was fragmented and regional states exercised quasi-independent monetary powers. The inclusion of allegorical imagery (Liberty/Justice with spear and shield) and formal gubernatorial signatures reflects the state's attempt to assert legitimacy and authority during a period of political chaos. The January 1914 date positions this note during a critical phase of the Revolution when competing factions vied for control of northern Mexico, making state currencies like this an essential medium of exchange despite their questionable backing.
The obverse features a classical allegorical female figure personifying Liberty or Justice, positioned on the left side of the note and rendered in neoclassical style, holding a spear and shield as traditional symbols of state authority and protection. The denomination 'UN PESO' is centrally positioned within an ornate cartouche with decorative flourishes. The upper corners display coat of arms or shield emblems representing state authority. The border design incorporates repeated 'UN PESO' text as an ornamental security pattern. Multiple signature lines at the bottom (Governor, Interim Secretary, and General Director of Revenue) provide official authentication. The reverse features a pale green background with decorative corner medallions and geometric border frames, with a center panel containing handwritten text (now largely faded). The overall design reflects late 19th/early 20th-century Latin American regional currency aesthetics.
FRONT: 'SERIE J' (Series J), 'Durango' (State name), 'El Estado de Durango' (The State of Durango), 'Segura al portador la cantidad de' (Guarantees to the bearer the sum of), 'UN PESO' (One Peso), 'ENERO DE 1914' (January 1914), '47351' (Serial number), 'EL SERIO. INTERINO' (The Interim Secretary), 'EL GOBERNADOR' (The Governor), 'EL DIREC. GRAL DE RENTAS' (The General Director of Revenue), 'J.R. Laurenzana' (signature), 'Miguel Ahumada' (signature). BACK: Handwritten cursive text center panel (content illegible due to age and deterioration); decorative inscriptions within border frames (text not clearly legible in image).
The note was produced using letterpress and lithographic printing methods typical of 1914 Mexican currency production. The black and red printing on the obverse and green toning on the reverse indicate multi-color lithography. The allegorical figure, border decorations, and denominational text were likely engraved and printed via letterpress, while the background colors and ornamental patterns employed lithographic techniques. Handwritten elements (signatures and center panel text on reverse) were added by hand after printing, as was common for emergency state currencies of this period. The specific printer is not definitively identified from Pick catalog data, but likely involved Mexican printing houses experienced in security printing.
Pick S731a specifically denotes the 1 Peso denomination of the Estado de Durango series from January 1914. The 'Series J' designation visible on this note may indicate a specific printing series within the overall 1914 emission. The signatures present (J.R. Laurenzana and Miguel Ahumada) may correspond to a specific variety, as different state officials signed notes throughout the year. Serial number 47351 places this note within the recorded range for this issue. No overprints or major varieties are immediately apparent from the visual analysis, though variations in handwritten text on the reverse and signature combinations may exist among surviving examples of this Pick number.
