5 pesos 1914
Market Prices
About This Note
This is a VF-grade 5 Pesos banknote from Banco Oriental de Mexico, issued January 30, 1914 during a tumultuous period of Mexican history. The note displays the characteristic black, red/pink, and cream toning of early 20th-century currency, with a well-preserved portrait on the left and the Cathedral of Puebla depicted on the right. Despite visible aging, foxing, and creasing consistent with over a century of storage, the intricate engraved design remains legible and demonstrates the high-quality security printing typical of American Bank Note Company work from this era.
Common. eBay market data shows VF-grade examples of this note trading in the $30-$50 range, with UNC examples available for $29.99-$99.99, indicating healthy supply in the collector market. The Banco Oriental de Mexico was a legitimate regional institution with sustained operation during its issuing period (1900-1914 according to catalog data), suggesting reasonable print runs. The note does not appear in standard references as scarce or rare, and modern pricing reflects typical early Mexican banknote values rather than scarcity premiums.
Issued by Banco Oriental de Mexico during the Mexican Revolution, this 1914 note represents currency from a regional bank operating in Puebla during a period of significant political and economic upheaval. The Cathedral of Puebla depicted on the obverse reflects civic pride in this major colonial city, while the bank's name emphasizes its regional identity in eastern Mexico. The ornate classical design and Latin motto 'ANGELIS SVIS DEVS' (God is with His Angels) reflect 19th-century banking tradition, even as Mexico descended into revolutionary chaos that would soon make many regional banks obsolete.
The obverse features a formal portrait of Esteban de Antúnano (identified by historical catalog records), a prominent Mexican industrialist and textile entrepreneur, positioned in an oval frame on the left side wearing formal 19th-century dress with bow tie. On the right, also in an oval frame, stands the Cathedral of Puebla (Catedral Metropolitana de Puebla), one of Mexico's most iconic baroque religious structures with its distinctive twin towers. The center displays an ornate shield or coat-of-arms design, flanked by decorative wreaths and elaborate baroque scrollwork. Corner elements feature the denomination '5' within ornamental frameworks. The reverse side exhibits the bank's name within a circular border, the Cathedral of Puebla again in a central oval medallion, baroque scrollwork in red and green/teal tones, a shield or arms design on the left, and the printer's mark. The overall color scheme combines black engraving with orange, yellow, red/pink, and green/teal underprinting, creating a warm, aged patina.
FRONT SIDE: 'EL BANCO ORIENTAL DE MEXICO' (The Oriental Bank of Mexico) / 'Cinco Pesos en Efectivo' (Five Pesos in Cash/Legal Tender) / 'pagará al portador en esta ciudad à la vista' (will pay to bearer in this city at sight) / 'Puebla, 30 de Enero de 1914' (Puebla, January 30, 1914) / 'SERIE E ECCIX' (Series E 899) / 'GERENTE' (Manager) / 'INTERVENTOR DEL GOBIERNO' (Government Interventor) / 'CONSEJERO' (Counselor) / 'BILLETE' (Banknote) / Serial number: 571568. BACK SIDE: 'BANCO ORIENTAL DE MEXICO' (Oriental Bank of Mexico) / 'ANGELIS SVIS DEVS' (God is with His Angels - Latin motto) / Printer attribution: 'American Bank Note Co. New York' / 'MEXICO' / Additional numerical and text security elements.
Intaglio engraving (line engraving) executed by the American Bank Note Company of New York, as indicated by the printer's mark on the reverse. The technique is evidenced by the fine line patterns, intricate scrollwork, and the depth of detail visible in the portraits and architectural imagery. The multiple color underprinting (orange, yellow, red/pink, and green/teal) was applied separately, typical of security printing practices of the 1910s era. The complexity of the engraved design itself served as a primary security feature against counterfeiting.
This specific example is identified as Pick P-S381c, representing the 1900-1914 issue period. The note bears Series E designation with serial number 571568, issued from the Puebla branch dated January 30, 1914 (late in the bank's operating period). The catalog notation 'BK-PUE-10' indicates this is a Puebla branch note. Varieties of this pick number would include different series letters, serial number ranges, and specific signature combinations (GERENTE, INTERVENTOR DEL GOBIERNO, and CONSEJERO signatures), though these variations are not fully enumerated in standard catalogs and would require specialized Mexican banknote references for complete variety documentation.
