5 centavos 1914
About This Note
This is a VF-grade 5 centavos banknote from Mexico's 1914 Gobierno Provisional period, printed in distinctive red/coral coloring with fine line engraving throughout. The obverse features an allegorical female figure (representing Justice or Liberty) holding scales and sword, with a prominent cityscape in the background, while the reverse displays the heraldic Mexican eagle. Age-appropriate wear is evident, including foxing, brown spotting, and creasing, typical of emergency currency from this turbulent period in Mexican history.
Common. While the Provisional Government period (1914-1916) produced various denominations and the political context makes these historically significant, the 5 centavos denomination in this series appears in standard catalogs as a regular issue without noted print run restrictions. The VF condition grade is typical for circulated examples from this era, and no premium rarity indicators (short-lived printing, recall, or extreme scarcity) are evident for this Pick number.
Issued during the Mexican Revolution by the Provisional Government, this note reflects the political instability of 1914 when multiple factions contested control of Mexico. The allegorical imagery of justice and the prominent Mexican eagle emphasize the legitimacy and Mexican sovereignty that the Provisional Government sought to assert. The anti-counterfeiting warning ('El falsificador será castigado con todo rigor') underscores the government's concerns about fraud during a period when numerous emergency currencies circulated throughout Mexico.
The obverse presents an allegorical representation of Justice as a seated classical female figure on the left, rendered in fine detail with careful attention to classical drapery and anatomical proportion. She holds the traditional symbols of justice—scales and sword—emphasizing the rule of law. The background depicts a significant Mexican cityscape featuring a prominent multi-domed building, likely representing either a cathedral or important government edifice, symbolizing civic authority. The reverse features the heraldic Mexican eagle in spread-wing pose, a traditional national emblem, positioned center-left. Both sides are framed with sophisticated geometric border patterns and ornamental corner designs typical of high-quality banknote engraving. The red/coral color palette throughout provides strong visual distinctiveness.
FRONT: 'Gobierno Provisional de Mexico' (Provisional Government of Mexico), 'Territorio' (Territory), 'Serie' (Series), 'Cinco Centavos' (Five Centavos), '5¢' (5 centavos). BACK: 'Republica Mexicana' (Mexican Republic), 'Cinco Centavos' (Five Centavos), '5¢' (5 centavos), 'SSSSSS Cinco Centavos SSSSSS' (Five Centavos), 'El falsificador será castigado con todo rigor' (The counterfeiter will be punished with all rigor/severity).
Intaglio (engraved line) printing, as evidenced by the fine line engraving patterns, intricate border decorations, and detailed allegorical figure rendering visible throughout both sides. The consistent, precise line work and security features indicate professional banknote production typical of established security printers of the period. The specific printer for Pick S697(1) was likely one of Mexico's contracted security printers, though attribution would require archival research.
Pick catalog designates this as P-S697(1), indicating it is the primary variety of the 5 centavos 1914 Provisional Government issue. Without visible serial number prefixes, signatures, or overprints clearly distinguished in the visual analysis, specific sub-varieties cannot be definitively identified from the images provided. Collectors should reference the Pick Mexico catalog for known signature or serial prefix variants within this series.
