5 centavos 1915
About This Note
This 1915 Mexican 5 centavos from Veracruz is an attractive example of Constitutional Government provisional currency issued during the Mexican Revolution. The note features a salmon-pink coloring with a bearded male portrait in formal 19th-century dress, flanked by heraldic shields and laurel branches in a symmetrical design. In VF condition, the note shows expected circulation wear including creasing and fading, along with red/pink handwritten markings on the reverse, reflecting its use as temporary emergency currency during a period of political instability.
Common. While Veracruz provisional notes from 1915 represent a specific historical issue, the 5 centavos denomination was produced in substantial quantities to serve as everyday emergency currency during the Constitutional period. The prevalence of these notes in collections and the VF grade availability indicate healthy historical survival rates. No specific evidence of restricted print runs or high collector demand supports a rarity classification above common.
Issued by the Veracruz state government under the Constitutionalist faction during the Mexican Revolution, this 5 centavos note represents a critical moment when local authorities needed to create emergency currency. The inscription 'GOBIERNO CONSTITUCIONALISTA' (Constitutional Government) and 'ESTADO DE VERACRUZ-LLAVE' directly reference the regional issuing authority, while the 'TRANSITORIO' marking indicates this was temporary provisional money meant to circulate only during the conflict. The heraldic design with coat of arms reflects Mexican governmental tradition despite the revolutionary chaos of the period.
The obverse features a central portrait of a bearded gentleman wearing formal attire with a bow tie, typical of early 20th-century official Mexican portraiture. The portrait is flanked by shield-shaped heraldic emblems containing architectural or symbolic designs representing Veracruz state authority. Symmetrical laurel branches frame the portrait on both sides, symbolizing peace and legitimacy despite revolutionary circumstances. The reverse displays a central coat of arms or heraldic shield with architectural elements, surrounded by mirror-image ornamental geometric designs. The overall aesthetic combines neoclassical governmental dignity with intricate Art Nouveau-influenced corner ornaments characteristic of turn-of-the-century Mexican currency design. The salmon-pink color base is distinctive for emergency currency of this period.
FRONT: 'GOBIERNO CONSTITUCIONALISTA' = Constitutional Government; 'ESTADO DE VERACRUZ-LLAVE' = State of Veracruz-Llave. BACK: 'TRANSITORIO' (appears twice) = Temporary/Provisional; Denomination markings '5' (appears twice); 'Serie B.A.' = Series B.A.; '1915' = Year of issue.
This note was produced using intaglio printing (engraved line printing), evidenced by the fine detail work visible in the portrait, heraldic shields, and geometric border ornaments. The crispness of the decorative elements and the depth of impression typical of intaglio currency production are apparent despite circulation wear. Mexican emergency notes from this period were typically produced by regional printing facilities with government oversight, though specific printer identification for this Pick number would require additional research documentation.
This example is identified as Pick S1094 (Veracruz provisional series). The 'Serie B.A.' marking on the reverse is a significant variety identifier for this specific issue. The handwritten red/pink markings visible on the reverse may represent contemporary banking or governmental stamps/annotations rather than printing varieties, which was common practice for emergency currency to track usage and validity. The salmon-pink color base appears consistent with the standard color for this issue, though variations in ink saturation due to age and fading should be expected across examples.
