1 peso 1899
Market Prices
About This Note
This is a 1 Peso Fuerte banknote from Paraguay dated November 18, 1899, issued by the Administracion de Deuda Publica and printed by the American Bank Note Company. The note features a striking central portrait of a bearded man wearing a wide-brimmed hat seated at a desk, surrounded by elaborate baroque-style decorative elements with ornate shields and scrollwork. Despite significant age-related wear including creasing, foxing, and overall discoloration consistent with its 120+ year history, the fine line engraving and complex geometric patterns remain clearly visible, demonstrating the high-quality security printing typical of ABNC work from this era.
Common. While this is a 120+-year-old note from a South American country, eBay market data for this Pick number in Fair condition shows a price of $430 USD, which positions it solidly in the affordable range for collectors. The broader price range ($1.88 to $430 USD across all conditions in the referenced data) indicates substantial surviving quantities in the collector market. The Pick catalog listing and multiple references in standard numismatic databases confirm this was a regular-issue banknote with adequate surviving circulation for modern collectors. The relative availability in the secondary market and the reasonable pricing for Fair condition examples confirms common status.
This note was issued under Law of November 18, 1899, during a period when Paraguay was establishing modern public debt administration infrastructure following the devastating War of the Triple Alliance (1865-1870). The central portrait likely depicts a significant Paraguayan political figure from the late 19th century, while the reverse features the nation's coat of arms with laurel wreath and stars, emphasizing Paraguay's restoration as a sovereign republic. The denomination 'Peso Fuerte' (strong peso) reflects the currency's intended stability and value as a government-backed instrument during a period of economic reconstruction.
The obverse features a central oval medallion containing a portrait of a bearded gentleman in formal 19th-century attire wearing a characteristic wide-brimmed hat, seated at a desk or table in a pose suggesting governmental authority. This portrait is surrounded by concentric ornate frames with baroque-style scrollwork, floral patterns, and geometric designs. Decorative heraldic shields with elaborate ornamentation flank both sides of the central medallion. The denomination 'UN PESO FUERTE' appears prominently in multiple locations. The reverse presents a formal heraldic design with Paraguay's national coat of arms centered within a circular seal, surrounded by a laurel wreath and featuring stars representing the nation's sovereignty. Ornate decorative shields mirror those on the obverse, maintaining symmetrical balance. The overall design emphasizes governmental legitimacy and security through intricate engraving throughout both sides.
FRONT: 'REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY' (Republic of Paraguay) / 'UNO' (One) / 'UN PESO FUERTE' (One Strong Peso) / 'LA NACION RECONOCE POR ESTE BILLETE' (The nation recognizes by this banknote) / 'QUE PAGARA CONFORME A LA LEY DE 18 DE NOVIEMBRE DE 1899' (Which will pay in accordance with the Law of November 18, 1899) / 'PRESIDENTE DE LA ADMINISTRACION DE DEUDA PUBLICA' (President of the Administration of Public Debt) / 'PRESIDENTE DE LA JUNTA INSPECTORA' (President of the Inspection Board) / 'American Bank Note Company, New York' / Serial number and date reference. BACK: 'REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY' (Republic of Paraguay) / 'American Bank Note Company, New York'
Intaglio engraving (line engraving), characteristic of American Bank Note Company's high-security banknote production. The detailed cross-hatching visible in the portrait oval, fine line work throughout the decorative elements, complex geometric guilloche patterns, and elaborate heraldic imagery were all produced through steel plate engraving and letterpress printing. The black ink on the obverse with green underprint and the gray-green coloring of the reverse are consistent with ABNC's multi-color printing methods of the late 19th century. Security features include the intricate fine line engraving and complex ornamental patterns designed to prevent counterfeiting.
The realbanknotes.com reference indicates 2 signature varieties exist for this Pick number, reflecting different authorized officials of the Administracion de Deuda Publica. The visual analysis shows handwritten signatures present on this example. Serial numbers appear in red ink and show variation (numeric reference 189924 visible). No overprints are apparent on this specimen. The specific signature combination and serial number prefix would need to be recorded to definitively identify which of the 2 known signature varieties this example represents.
