1 sol 1921
“serie D”
About This Note
This is a 1 Sol Cheque Provisional from Peru dated October 1, 1921, issued from Iquitos during a period of monetary emergency. The note features classical allegorical imagery on both sides—a profile bust on the obverse and a Liberty-type figure on the reverse—printed in dark blue/black on reddish-brown paper. While graded UNC in the visual assessment, the images reveal significant wear including creasing, fold marks, staining, and foxing inconsistent with true Uncirculated condition; this appears to be a circulated example showing genuine age-related patina from over a century of storage.
Uncommon. This is a provisional emergency issue from a specific regional Peruvian monetary crisis period (1921 Iquitos), making it less common than mainstream currency of the era. However, these provisional checks were issued in multiple series (D is noted here) and in varying quantities for forced circulation, so they are not rare. The 'unlisted' Pick catalog status suggests limited international commercial cataloging rather than extreme scarcity. Collector interest in Peruvian emergency issues is modest, limiting demand and keeping prices moderate.
This provisional check was issued during the 1921 Peruvian monetary crisis when the central government authorized emergency currency substitutes backed by state debt and fiscal revenues. The Iquitos location and political/military authority signatures indicate this was a regional emergency issue during a period of fiscal instability in the Peruvian Amazon region. The classical allegorical imagery reflecting Peru's cultural heritage and the emphasis on state guarantee reflects the transitional nature of Peru's monetary system in the early 1920s.
The obverse features a classical male profile bust wearing draped clothing, positioned within an ornate circular medallion frame, with decorative corner numerals and heraldic emblems including winged designs. The reverse depicts an allegorical female figure representing Liberty or Justice, holding a staff or spear with defensive implements/shield, similarly framed in a circular medallion with matching ornamental corner treatments and winged heraldic crests. Both sides employ symmetrical, elaborate Renaissance-style ornamental borders with scrollwork flourishes throughout. The composition reflects 19th-century banknote design traditions adapted for this emergency provisional currency issue.
FRONT SIDE: 'CHEQUE PROVISIONAL' (Provisional Check), 'DE CIRCULACION FORZOSA' (Of Forced Circulation), 'EMITIDO CON LA GARANTIA DE LA DEUDA DEL ESTADO, RENTAS FISCALES Y DEPARTAMENTAL' (Issued with the Guarantee of the State Debt, Tax and Departmental Income), 'UN SOL' (One Sol), 'IQUITOS 1º DE OCTUBRE 1921' (Iquitos, 1st October 1921), 'SERIE D' (Series D), 'EAP JEFE POLITICO Y MILITAR' (Political and Military Chief), 'A.DM.OR.DE LA ADUANA' (Customs Administrator). REVERSE SIDE: 'CHEQUE PROVISIONAL' (Provisional Check), 'PERU' (Peru), 'UN SOL' (One Sol).
Intaglio engraving (line engraving), a standard security printing method for banknotes of this era. The fine detail work, ornamental patterns, and clarity of the printed imagery despite age-related deterioration are consistent with copper plate engraving. The printer is not definitively identified from the visible inscriptions, though this was likely produced by a Peruvian government printing facility or contracted security printer during 1921.
Series D as noted in the catalog data and visible on the note. The serial number 789 is visible in the security features. Specific printer signatures of 'EAP' (Political/Military Chief) and an Aduanas Administrator are documented. The October 1, 1921 date is fixed for this issue. Additional varieties may exist with different series letters (A, B, C variants) or different signatory authorities, but Series D is the variety represented here.
