5 pesos 1902-14
Market Prices
About This Note
This is an exceptional uncirculated example of a 1902 Banco de Tamaulipas 5 pesos remainder note (Pick S429r), featuring a striking portrait of young Guadalupe Obregón in an ornate circular frame on the obverse. The reverse depicts a tropical landscape with dogs on a shoreline and a canoe, printed in green with fine engraving characteristic of American Bank Note Company work. The note exhibits pristine condition with sharp, clear printing throughout and consistent coloring, making it a desirable specimen of early Mexican regional banking currency.
Common. While this is a remainder note from a defunct regional bank, eBay market data shows consistent trading activity across multiple condition grades, with UNC examples regularly appearing in the $120–$295 range and lower-grade examples significantly cheaper ($29.99–$148.49 range). The broad price spread and frequent listings indicate adequate supply in the collector market. Remainder notes from this series were produced in quantities sufficient to maintain current availability, and this specific Pick number does not represent a recalled or extremely limited issue.
The Banco de Tamaulipas operated during Mexico's Porfiriato era (1876-1911), when regional banks issued their own currency under government supervision. The landscape imagery on the reverse—with tropical vegetation, water, and canoe—reflects the geographic and economic character of Tamaulipas state in northeastern Mexico, a region important for commerce and agriculture. This remainder note from 1902 documents the pre-revolutionary period when Mexico's financial system was transitioning toward centralized currency control.
The obverse features an ornate tan and dark brown design with a central circular portrait of Guadalupe Obregón as a child, rendered with formal 19th-century styling and decorated collar. The child's portrait is framed within elaborate architectural vignettes visible on the left and right sections of the design. The denomination '5' appears in ornate corner shields in all four corners, with crown symbols flanking the top. The design incorporates extensive decorative scrollwork, floral patterns, and geometric borders typical of high-security banknote design. The reverse displays a green-printed tropical landscape scene with two dogs in the foreground standing on a shoreline, a canoe with a figure on the water body, palm trees and vegetation in the background, and a distant wooded landscape. An ornamental oval frame containing 'BANCO DE TAMAULIPAS' anchors the top, with denomination medallions on left and right sides. The entire composition demonstrates the sophisticated engraving capabilities of American Bank Note Company.
FRONT: 'EL BANCO DE TAMAULIPAS' (The Bank of Tamaulipas); 'SERIE H' (Series H); 'S.A. PAGARA AL PORTADOR' (S.A. Will Pay to Bearer); 'A LA VISTA A LA PAR EN EFECTIVO' (On Sight at Par in Cash); 'CINCO' and 'CINCO PESOS' (Five/Five Pesos); 'Nº 177100' (Serial Number 177100); 'TAMPICO' (Tampico, city in Tamaulipas); 'ORO PESOS' (Gold Pesos); 'INTERVENTOR DEL GOBIERNO' (Government Interventor); 'GERENTE' (Manager); 'CONSEJERO' (Counselor). BACK: 'BANCO DE TAMAULIPAS' (Bank of Tamaulipas); 'AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY, NEW YORK' (printer attribution).
Intaglio engraving (line engraving and steel plate printing) executed by the American Bank Note Company (ABNC), New York. The fine line work, detailed cross-hatching, stippling patterns, and multi-layered decorative elements visible throughout both sides are characteristic of professional high-security banknote engraving. The sharp reproduction and consistent coloring indicate well-maintained printing plates and quality production standards typical of ABNC's premium work for Mexican regional banks.
This example is identified as Series H, serial number 177100, and is noted as an 'Unsigned Remainder' in the catalog data. The reference designation is BK-TAM-6 per RealBanknotes.com. The note is from the 1902–1914 issuance period, with printing attributed to 1914 per the catalog notation '31.3.1914'. Series G and H are documented varieties for this Pick number. The unsigned remainder status indicates this note was never formally distributed through banking channels and represents unsold stock from the printer.
