10 pesos 1915
About This Note
A VF-graded 10 pesos emergency credit note issued by the Tesoreira General del Estado de Oaxaca on June 26, 1915, during Mexico's revolutionary period. The note features ornate blue and brown decorative borders, a circular landscape medallion on the front, and an engraved portrait on the reverse, with serial number 358155 in red. The piece shows honest age-related wear including foxing, brown staining, and creasing consistent with circulation, yet retains good visual integrity and legibility of all inscriptions.
Common. State emergency notes from the Mexican Revolution, particularly from Oaxaca's 1915 issues, were produced in substantial quantities to meet urgent monetary needs during the period. Series Y notes with serial number 358155 represent routine production items from this forced-circulation credit issue. The VF condition grade is typical for notes that circulated but were not heavily damaged. No evidence exists of this being a short-run variety, recalled issue, or special printing. These Oaxaca state notes, while historically significant, remain relatively common in the collector market.
This note was issued under Decree Number 2 of February 19, 1915, during the Mexican Revolution when state governments issued emergency currency due to federal currency shortages and civil unrest. The Oaxaca treasury's 4th General Treasury (4ta Tesorería General) authorized this forced-circulation credit note with unlimited liberatory power within state territory, reflecting the desperate financial measures adopted by regional authorities. The note's legal declaration of forced circulation and unlimited payment power demonstrates how states asserted monetary autonomy during the revolution's chaos.
The front displays a formal treasury note layout with prominent DIEZ PESOS text centered in decorative frames. A circular medallion on the left contains an engraved landscape scene, likely depicting mountainous Oaxacan terrain. The corners feature ornamental designs with embedded numeral 10s within circular emblems. The color scheme combines blue and brown tones on a cream background, with red used for serial numbers (358155) and institutional markings. The back features an engraved portrait of a formally-dressed gentleman in 19th-century style facing left, positioned on the right side. The reverse contains the legal declaration text in a centered block framed by blue ornamental elements, with a red circular institutional seal or stamp in the lower right. All decorative elements employ fine line engraving work throughout, consistent with period security printing standards.
FRONT: '10 PESOS' / 'DIEZ PESOS' (Ten pesos) - primary denomination; '4ta Tesorería General del Estado de Oaxaca' (4th General Treasury of the State of Oaxaca); 'Pagará al portador en efectivo' (Will pay to bearer in cash); 'Serie Y' (Series Y); 'Oaxaca de Juárez, 26 de Junio de 1915' (Oaxaca de Juárez, June 26, 1915); 'El Tesorero' (The Treasurer); 'El Contador' (The Accountant); '358155' (Serial number); 'ARTES GRAFICAS DE JULIAN S. SOTO OAXACA' (Graphic Arts of Julian S. Soto Oaxaca - printer). BACK: 'ESTE Título de Crédito es de circulación forzosa y tiene poder liberatorio ilimitado dentro del territorio del Estado de Oaxaca.' (THIS Credit Note is of forced circulation and has unlimited liberatory power within the territory of the State of Oaxaca); 'Decreto número 2 del 19 de Febrero de 1915.' (Decree number 2 of February 19, 1915); 'ARTES GRAFICAS DE JULIAN S. SOTO OAXACA' (Graphic Arts of Julian S. Soto Oaxaca).
Intaglio engraving (line engraving) executed by Artes Gráficas de Julián S. Soto of Oaxaca. The fine decorative borders, landscape medallion, portrait, and text blocks show characteristic deep engraving marks indicative of copper or steel plate intaglio printing. The red serial numbers appear to have been applied separately, possibly by letterpress or hand stamp. The ornamental corner designs and geometric patterns on the reverse demonstrate sophisticated engraving technique typical of regional Mexican security printers of the period.
The note is identified as Pick P-S957a1, indicating it is variety 1a of the catalog listing. Key identifying features: Series Y designation; June 26, 1915 date; 4ta Tesorería General issuer designation; serial number 358155 in red; printed by Artes Gráficas de Julián S. Soto. The portrait on the reverse and landscape medallion on the front appear consistent with the standard design for this Pick number. Signature authority positions (El Tesorero / El Contador) are present and appear to carry printed positions rather than hand signatures.
