20 pesos 1914
About This Note
A handsome example of a 20 pesos banknote issued by the Estado de Chihuahua in 1914, presented in UNC condition with light aging appropriate to its early 20th-century vintage. The note features an ornate brown and reddish-brown design with dual male portraits and extensive guilloche patterning, while the reverse displays a striking engraved architectural scene of a government building. This Mexican Revolutionary-era state issue represents an important transitional period in Mexican currency when regional governments exercised monetary authority during political upheaval.
Common. Estado de Chihuahua's 1914 regional currency issues, while historically significant, were produced in substantial quantities to support wartime commerce and governmental operations. The appearance of this denomination in UNC condition reflects survival rather than scarcity—most period notes circulated heavily and few were preserved in this grade. No evidence of restricted print runs, recalls, or extreme rarity for this Pick number exists in standard numismatic literature.
Issued under military decree on February 10, 1914, during the Mexican Revolution, this Chihuahua state note reflects the decentralized monetary conditions of the conflict period when regional authorities temporarily assumed currency issuance rights. The prominent government building depicted on the reverse symbolizes state authority and the treasury's institutional credibility during a time of national fragmentation. The note's formal, elaborate design demonstrates Chihuahua's attempt to maintain financial legitimacy and public confidence despite the surrounding revolutionary turmoil.
The front features a symmetrical composition with two bearded male figures in formal nineteenth-century attire positioned as flanking portraits—likely representing state officials or historical figures of significance to Chihuahua. The central text is surrounded by elaborate scrollwork, floral ornaments, and geometric patterns typical of Edwardian-era banknote design. Denomination markers ('20' and Roman numeral 'XX') occupy the corners. The reverse presents a neoclassical government building with multiple stories and fenestration, depicted in fine engraving detail with a gathered crowd before its entrance, symbolizing public trust in the institution. The design employs a symmetrical border of repeating fan or shell motifs framing the architectural vignette, with denomination circles and 'PESO' indicators positioned at all four corners. A treasury archive seal appears on the left side of the reverse.
FRONT: 'El Estado de Chihuahua' (The State of Chihuahua); 'Pagará al Portador en Efectivo' (Will pay the bearer in cash); 'Veinte Pesos' (Twenty pesos); 'Conforme al Decreto Militar de Fecha 10 de Febrero de 1914' (In accordance with the military decree dated February 10, 1914); 'Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Mexico'; 'Serie A 1915' / 'Serie B 1915' (Series A/B 1915); 'Tesorero General' (General Treasurer); 'Gobernador' (Governor); 'Interventor' (Auditor/Overseer); Serial number 5918612. BACK: '20 Peso' (Twenty Peso) in corners; 'Archivo Tesoreria Gvbio S. Inc' (State Treasury Archive); '1915'.
Intaglio engraving (line engraving/copperplate), evidenced by the fine, precise guilloche patterns, intricate geometric borders, and finely detailed architectural rendering. The multiple color layers and consistent line quality throughout indicate professional security printing typical of early-twentieth-century banknote production. The printer for this Chihuahua state issue is not definitively identified from the visible inscriptions, though such Mexican state notes were often produced by established security printers serving regional governments during the Revolutionary period.
This example belongs to Series A or B (both series are noted on this design). The serial number 5918612 and the 1915 date printing distinguish individual specimens. Varieties for this Pick number may include different series designations (A vs. B), signature variations among the Treasurer, Governor, and Auditor positions, and serial number ranges. The specific printed series date (1915) on notes bearing the February 1914 decree date represents a known characteristic of this issue, likely reflecting delayed currency production during revolutionary conditions.
