2 pesos 1914
“FALSE”
About This Note
This is an exceptionally well-preserved AU example of the 2 pesos issued by the Gobierno Provisional de Mexico from Veracruz in 1915, featuring an elegant beige and cream color scheme on the obverse with a striking turquoise reverse. The note displays the iconic Mexican eagle in a mountainous landscape complemented by a seated allegorical figure representing Constitution, with the Mexican coat of arms prominently featured on the back, all executed in fine line engraving. Despite over a century of age, the note shows only minimal wear and light foxing consistent with its age, making it an attractive example of early 20th-century Mexican revolutionary currency.
Common. This Pick S1103 issue represents the standard circulation 2 pesos from the Gobierno Provisional's Veracruz office. While early Mexican Revolutionary currency can command collector interest, the 2 pesos denominations were issued in substantial quantities to facilitate commerce in the territories controlled by the Constitutionalist government. The presence of typical circulation markings and stamps, combined with the routine serial number (339146) and standard Series G designation, indicates this was part of a normal production run rather than a limited issue. Revolutionary Mexican notes of this type remain readily available in the collector market, particularly in the AU-UNC grades.
Issued during Mexico's tumultuous Revolutionary period, this note represents the Constitutionalist faction's monetary authority under Venustiano Carranza's Provisional Government, which controlled the strategic port of Veracruz. The emphasis on the Constitution (dated 1914) and the radiating sun on the Mexican coat of arms reflect the revolutionary government's ideological focus on constitutional reform and national sovereignty. The decree reference of September 19, 1914, situates this issue within the critical period following the fall of Huerta and the consolidation of Constitutionalist power.
The obverse features a seated allegorical female figure on the left side representing México's Constitution (inscribed 'Constitución 1914 México'), rendered in the neoclassical style popular in early 20th-century currency design. The dominant central vignette depicts the Mexican national eagle with outstretched wings set against a romanticized mountainous landscape with snow-capped peaks, a motif emphasizing Mexico's natural grandeur. The reverse centers on the Mexican coat of arms featuring the iconic eagle perched on a cactus with a serpent in its beak, surrounded by a radiating sunburst design symbolizing hope and renewal. Ornate decorative borders and corner frames containing the denomination '2' in elaborate script frames appear on both sides. The color scheme—cream and beige on the obverse, turquoise-blue on the reverse—was typical of the period's printing aesthetics.
FRONT SIDE: 'Gobierno Provisional de México' (Provisional Government of Mexico); 'Veracruz, Febrero 5 de 1915' (Veracruz, February 5, 1915); 'No 339146' (Serial number); 'Serie G' (Series G); 'Constitución 1914 México' (Constitution 1914 Mexico); 'El Tesorero General' (The General Treasurer); 'P.O. del Río el S.S.' (P.O. of the River, His Lordship); 'La Tesorería recibirá y pagará este billete de acuerdo con el Decreto de 19 de Septiembre de 1914' (The Treasury will receive and pay this note in accordance with the Decree of September 19, 1914); 'México Oficina del Gobierno' (Mexico Office of the Government). REVERSE SIDE: 'Este billete circulará de acuerdo con' (This note will circulate in accordance with); 'El Decreto de 19 de Setiembre 1914' (The Decree of September 19, 1914); 'República Mexicana' (Mexican Republic).
This note was produced using traditional intaglio engraving (line engraving), evident from the fine detail work visible throughout the design, particularly in the decorative borders, the allegorical figure, and the central eagle vignette. The uniform ink application and sharp definition of fine lines characteristic of intaglio printing are clearly observable. Red ink was used for the serial number (No 339146) and the postage-style verification stamps on the reverse, applied after the primary printing. The printer for this Gobierno Provisional de Mexico issue from Veracruz has not been conclusively documented in readily available catalogs, though Mexican Revolutionary currency was often produced by multiple printing houses during this chaotic period.
This example is identified as Series G, which represents one of the standard series designations for this issue. The serial number 339146 and the specific date of February 5, 1915, on the note place it within the documented production period. Known varieties of the Gobierno Provisional 2 pesos from Veracruz include different series letters (A through G or beyond have been documented), which represent distinct printing batches. This particular Series G example with the red serial number stamp is the standard format for circulation notes of this type. No major overprints, surcharges, or emergency modifications are visible, indicating this is an unmodified example from normal production.
