25 centavos 1913

Uncommon. While Villista currency from 1913 is collected and generally available, this specific Pick catalog number (P-S551e) with authenticated AU condition and clear serial number provenance represents a scarcer variety. The Chihuahua state treasury notes from late 1913 were produced in limited quantities compared to major bank issues, and survival rates in AU condition are moderate. Not rare enough to command premium prices, but distinctly scarcer than common Mexican banknotes of the period.

This note was issued during the height of the Mexican Revolution, specifically authorized by General Francisco Villa's provisional government in Chihuahua. The Tesorería General del Estado designation and the prominent display of 'GRAL FRANCISCO VILLA' reflect the de facto administrative authority Villa exercised in northern Mexico during 1913. The December 10, 1913 date places this squarely within the period of factional conflict when various revolutionary leaders issued their own currency to finance military operations and local governance.

The obverse features a clean, utilitarian design centered on large denomination text ('25 CENTAVOS') against a pink/rose background populated with repeating 'VEINTICINCO CENTAVOS' text as an anti-counterfeiting measure. A gray border frame delineates the note's edges. The issuing authority and date information occupy the lower portion, with multiple handwritten signatures of officials providing authentication. The reverse displays the Coat of Arms of Chihuahua—a circular seal featuring an eagle emblem—positioned on the left side, with the state name in the circumference. The 'L-UIS' marking on the reverse likely represents either a printer's mark or official signature initial. The overall aesthetic is consistent with emergency currency issued during wartime conditions.

FRONT SIDE: 'SERIE' (Series) with serial number 21257; 'TESORERIA GENERAL DEL ESTADO' (General Treasury of the State); 'EL PRESENTE ES VALIDO, AL PORTADOR, POR' (This present is valid, to the bearer, for); '25 CENTAVOS' (Twenty-five centavos); 'Chihuahua, 10 de Diciembre de 1913' (Chihuahua, December 10, 1913); 'Gobernador Provisional del Estado' (Provisional Governor of the State); 'GRAL FRANCISCO VILLA' (General Francisco Villa); 'VEINTICINCO CENTAVOS' (Twenty-five centavos). BACK SIDE: 'TESORERIA GENERAL DEL ESTADO' (General Treasury of the State); 'CHIHUAHUA' (Chihuahua state designation); 'L-UIS' (appears to be partial text or signature initials, possibly a printer's mark or official's initials).

Letterpress printing on colored (pink/rose) paper stock with black and gray inks. The repeating background text pattern was likely applied as a security feature against counterfeiting. The circular seal on the reverse appears to have been impressed or embossed. Handwritten signatures were added post-printing as required authentication elements. No evidence of advanced security printing techniques typical of central bank issues; this reflects the emergency nature of provincial wartime currency production.

This note is identified as Pick P-S551e, representing a specific variety within the 1913 Chihuahua 25 centavos series. The serial number 21257 and the specific date of December 10, 1913 help identify this as from the latter portion of this issue's production run. The handwritten signatures visible on the note (authority signatures required for authenticity) may vary by individual note. The presence of 'GRAL FRANCISCO VILLA' on the front identifies this as part of the Villa-authorized Chihuahua treasury issue, distinguishing it from notes issued by competing revolutionary factions or the federal government during this period.