5 pesos 1914
About This Note
This is a Mexican 5 pesos note issued in 1914 by the Pagaduría del Cuerpo de Ejercito del Noroeste during the turbulent Mexican Revolution period. The AU condition grade reflects minimal wear despite its age of over 110 years, with the note displaying the characteristic creasing and foxing expected of early 20th-century currency while maintaining strong visual clarity and legibility. The note is notable for its connection to the Constitutionalist faction and features distinctive ornate engraving with both a portrait medallion on the obverse and an agricultural scene on the reverse, representing the Revolutionary government's iconography.
common. This is a relatively common Revolutionary-era Mexican banknote. While issued by a specific military faction during a turbulent period, the Pagaduría del Cuerpo de Ejército del Noroeste produced substantial quantities of currency to finance operations, and significant examples survive. The Pick catalog listing (P-S865a) indicates this is a catalogued variety with established collecting interest but without indicators of extreme scarcity. AU condition examples appear regularly in the market and are not commanding premium prices that would indicate rarity.
This banknote was issued during the Mexican Revolution by the Northwestern Army Corps (Cuerpo de Ejército del Noroeste), representing the Constitutionalist Republic faction led by Venustiano Carranza. The January 30, 1915 issue date and Guadalajara location indicate this was emergency currency issued to finance Revolutionary military operations in western Mexico. The agricultural imagery on the reverse symbolized the Revolutionary emphasis on land reform and agrarian values, while the formal institutional design projected legitimacy for what was technically military scrip during the conflict.
The obverse features a formal portrait medallion in profile on the left side showing a dignified male figure in period formal attire, representing a Mexican political or military figure of the Revolutionary era. The right side displays a neoclassical institutional building with multiple stories and regular window arrangements, likely symbolizing governmental authority and legitimacy. The reverse depicts an agricultural landscape scene emphasizing corn crops with mountainous background, reflecting Revolutionary ideology centered on land and agrarian reform. Both sides feature ornate decorative borders with crown-like ornaments at corners, circular medallions displaying the denomination '5', and extensive scrollwork throughout. The color scheme employs brown/maroon and light green on the obverse with predominantly green on the reverse, creating visual distinction between sides. The lithographic signature of J.M. Iguiniz in Guadalajara is featured on the reverse, identifying the production facility.
{"front":{"denomination":"CINCO PESOS (Five Pesos)","series":"SERIE A (Series A)","issuer":"REPUBLICA CONSTITUCIONALISTA (Constitutionalist Republic)","division":"DIVISION DE OCCIDENTE (Western Division)","serialNumber":"177904","paymentClause":"LA TESORERIA DE LA NACION PAGARA ESTE DOCUMENTO EN BILLETES DE LOS EMITIDOS SEGUN LAS LEYES EN VIGOR Y SERA RECIBIDO POR LA GARANTIA DE (The National Treasury will pay this document in bills issued according to laws in force and will be received with the guarantee of)","dateLocation":"GUADALAJARA ENERO 30 DE 1915 (Guadalajara January 30, 1915)"},"back":{"circulationDecree":"ESTE BILLETE CIRCULARA ZOSAMENTE DE ACUERDO CON EL DECRETO DE 20 DE ENERO DE 1915 (This banknote will circulate exclusively in accordance with the decree of January 20, 1915)","country":"REPUBLICA MEXICANA (Mexican Republic)","printer":"LIT. J.M. IGUINIZ GUAD (Lithography by J.M. Iguiniz, Guadalajara)"}}
This note was produced using lithography, as indicated by the 'LIT. J.M. IGUINIZ GUAD' inscription on the reverse. The intricate engraved border patterns, detailed scrollwork, complex agricultural scene, and fine line work visible throughout are characteristic of high-quality lithographic production. The multiple decorative elements, geometric patterns, and ornamental designs demonstrate the sophisticated lithographic capability available in Guadalajara during 1915. The separate printing of obverse and reverse in different color schemes (brown/green obverse, green reverse) indicates multicolor lithographic production.
This note is catalogued as Pick P-S865a, indicating it is Series A of this issue. The specific variety is identified by: the 'SERIE A' designation visible on the obverse, the serial number 177904, the January 30, 1915 issue date from Guadalajara, and the 'DIVISION DE OCCIDENTE' (Western Division) designation. The 'LIT. J.M. IGUINIZ GUAD' printer identification on the reverse indicates production by the Guadalajara lithography house. Varieties of this issue exist with different series designations and potential signature or printer variations; the 'a' designation in Pick P-S865a may indicate a specific printing or signature variant distinguishing it from P-S865 or P-S865b varieties.
