5 cordobas 1962
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5 salesAbout This Note
This is a stunning uncirculated example of Nicaragua's 1962 5 Córdobas note (Pick P-108), issued by the Banco Central de Nicaragua and beautifully printed by the American Bank Note Company. The note features vibrant green and cream coloring with exceptional engraving detail throughout, displaying a classical allegorical female figure on the obverse and a portrait of Francisco Hernández de Córdoba on the reverse, both rendered within ornate decorative frames. In UNC condition with sharp printing and no signs of handling, this note represents a well-preserved specimen from an important early period of Nicaragua's modern currency.
Common. This is a regular issue from 1962 with no indication of limited mintage or recall status. Market data from realbanknotes.com shows steady eBay sales activity over multiple years (2012-2023) with typical prices ranging from $3.83 to $7.39 for circulated grades, and a 2019 catalogue value of $17.50 for UNC specimens. The availability of multiple graded examples in the PMG population report and consistent secondary market trading confirm this as a regularly encountered note in collectors' markets. No known scarcity factors apply to this Pick number.
This 1962 issue commemorates a significant moment in Nicaragua's monetary modernization, authorized by Executive Decree No. 71 of April 26, 1962, and issued under the authority of the Banco Central de Nicaragua established in its modern form. The reverse portrait honors Francisco Hernández de Córdoba, the Spanish conquistador and founder of Nicaragua, reflecting the nation's historical consciousness during the early 1960s. The note's design, employing the classical allegory of Liberty or national virtue on the obverse, was typical of mid-20th-century Central American currency design philosophy.
The obverse features a classical allegorical female figure (representing Liberty or the nation) positioned centrally within an ornate oval frame, depicted in flowing robes standing upon rocky terrain suggestive of Nicaragua's mountainous geography. The denomination '5' appears in decorative shield-shaped corner medallions at both top left and right, rendered in an elegant serif typeface. The reverse showcases a formal portrait of Francisco Hernández de Córdoba, the 16th-century Spanish conquistador and founder of Nicaraguan settlements, rendered with period-accurate 19th-century formal attire including a distinctive collar and beard, also enclosed within an ornate circular portrait frame. Both sides employ extensive decorative borders featuring fine scrollwork, botanical patterns, wave patterns, and geometric designs typical of American Bank Note Company's prestige currency work. The color scheme of green and cream/off-white provides excellent contrast and security enhancement through the intricate line engraving.
FRONT SIDE: 'BANCO CENTRAL DE NICARAGUA' (Central Bank of Nicaragua) | 'SERIE A' (Series A) | 'VALE POR CINCO CORDOBAS' (Worth Five Cordobas) | 'RESOLUCIÓN DEL CONSEJO DIRECTIVO DEL BANCO CENTRAL DE NICARAGUA DE 8 DE FEBRERO DE 1962' (Resolution of the Board of Directors of the Central Bank of Nicaragua of February 8, 1962) | 'DECRETO EJECUTIVO NO. 71 DE 26 DE ABRIL DE 1962' (Executive Decree No. 71 of April 26, 1962) | 'EL PRESIDENTE DE LA REPÚBLICA' (The President of the Republic) | 'EL PRESIDENTE DEL BANCO CENTRAL DE NICARAGUA' (The President of the Central Bank of Nicaragua) | 'EL GERENTE DEL BANCO CENTRAL DE NICARAGUA' (The Manager of the Central Bank of Nicaragua) | 'AMERICA'S BANK NOTE COMPANY' (printer attribution) | Serial number: 4795218. BACK SIDE: 'BANCO CENTRAL DE NICARAGUA' (Central Bank of Nicaragua) | 'CINCO CORDOBAS' (Five Cordobas) | 'FRANCISCO HERNANDEZ DE CORDOBA' (historical figure depicted) | 'AMERICA'S BANK NOTE COMPANY' (printer attribution).
Steel plate intaglio (engraved) printing by the American Bank Note Company, New York. The visual characteristics—fine line engraving patterns, intricate cross-hatching, detailed scrollwork, and the dimensional quality of the portraits—are all consistent with high-quality intaglio production. Multiple security features are evident including fine-line background patterns throughout, ornate decorative elements serving as anti-counterfeiting measures, and the precision characteristic of ABNC's premium currency production during this era.
This specimen belongs to Series A (as indicated by 'SERIE A' marking visible on the obverse). The serial number 4795218 represents an early printing sequence from this series. The Pick catalog P-108 identifies this as the standard 1962 5 Córdobas issue with no major varieties catalogued. Known related variants include the later 1985 issue (Pick P-116) printed by TDLR instead of ABNC. No evidence of signature varieties, overprints, or other distinguishing characteristics typical of varieties is observed on this specimen.
