1 libra esterlina 1919
About This Note
This is a 1919 Banco da Beira 1 Libra Esterlina note in Fair condition, representing an interesting piece of Portuguese colonial banking history from Mozambique. The note displays the characteristic ornate baroque engraving typical of early 20th-century Portuguese bank issues, with intricate green and blue decorative borders framing a Portuguese coat of arms on the obverse and denomination numerals on the reverse. Despite visible aging, foxing, and creasing consistent with its 100+ year history, the note retains good overall definition of its fine engraved details.
Common. While Banco da Beira notes from 1919 are genuinely historical, the serial number 071.233 indicates this was part of an ordinary production run rather than a special or limited issue. Notes from regional colonial banks like Beira typically had reasonable circulation, and surviving examples are not scarce in the collector market. The Fair condition grade and absence of special overprints or varieties further support a common classification.
The Banco da Beira issued this note during a period when Beira, Mozambique's primary port city, was a vital commercial hub under Portuguese colonial administration. The note's denomination in British pounds sterling reflects the significant Anglo-Portuguese economic ties and the role of sterling in regional trade during the early 20th century. The coat of arms imagery and Portuguese inscriptions underscore Portugal's formal sovereignty over the territory during this era.
The obverse features a symmetrical design centered on the Portuguese royal coat of arms with shield in red and blue tones, flanked by ornamental scrollwork and floral motifs rendered in green and blue. Decorative circular medallions occupy the corners, with intricate geometric patterns forming the border frame. The reverse maintains the same color scheme and ornamental aesthetic, substituting the coat of arms with large denomination numerals ($1) positioned within elaborate baroque cartouches and surrounded by pearled borders, scrollwork, and fine crosshatching typical of high-security engraved currency of the period. Serial numbers appear in the top corners of the obverse.
FRONT SIDE: 'UMA LIBRA ESTERLINA' (One Pound Sterling) / 'OURO' (Gold) / '15 de SETEMBRO de 1919' (15 September 1919) / 'O CERENTE' (The Issuer/Bearer) / 'O ADMINISTRADOR' (The Administrator) / 'BEIRA' (Beira) / Serial number: 'N°071.233' (appears in both top corners). REVERSE SIDE: '$1' (repeated denomination marking) / 'UMA LIBRA ESTERLINA' (One Pound Sterling) / 'OURO' (Gold).
Intaglio engraving (recess printing), the standard technique for banknote production in this era. The fine line work, complex cross-hatching, intricate ornamental patterns, and sharp definition of engraved elements visible in both images confirm classical intaglio methodology. The multi-color printing was achieved through sequential passes with different color plates, typical of Portuguese banknote printers of the 1919 period.
This note is catalogued as Pick P-R6c/b, indicating it belongs to a specific recognized variety within the Banco da Beira 1919 pound sterling series. The 'c/b' designation in the Pick catalog typically refers to a specific signature variety or minor design variant. The serial number 071.233 places it within the standard issue range. No special overprints, emergency markings, or other distinguishing features are evident from the visual analysis.
