500 soles 1976

Common. This is a regular issue of Peru's 1976 500 Soles de Oro series with no known scarcity factors. eBay market data confirms this assessment, with consistent sales in the $1.50–$4.25 range for UNC examples across multiple transactions from 2013–2026, and catalog values from 2019 listing UNC at only $1.50. The note shows no evidence of limited print run, recall, or short-lived issuance. Its very low market value despite attractive design and excellent preservation reflects its common status in the collector marketplace.

Issued on July 2, 1976, during a pivotal period in Peru's economic history under the military government, this banknote celebrates the nation's natural resources and notable historical figures. The reverse's depiction of jungle logging operations reflects Peru's reliance on timber and forest resources as key economic drivers during this era. The obverse portrait honors José Abelardo Quiñones González, a celebrated Peruvian air force pilot and national hero, representing the country's pride in its military aviation achievements.

The obverse features a formal portrait of José Abelardo Quiñones González positioned on the right side, depicting him in business attire with a distinctive mustache, facing forward with dignified bearing. The left side displays a large geometric star/cross pattern emblem and the denomination '500' in prominent numerals. The center showcases an ornate coat of arms within an elaborate wreath design incorporating agricultural and architectural elements in pink and green tones, representing Peru's cultural heritage. The reverse presents a meticulously engraved tropical landscape scene depicting Peru's jungle logging industry, with tall forest trees, a river or waterway in the composition, stacked logs in the foreground, and a small settlement with wooden structures representing human activity in the rainforest. Decorative circular rosette patterns appear in the upper right, framing the denomination. Throughout both sides, intricate geometric line patterns, guilloche work, and fine mesh crosshatch backgrounds serve as sophisticated anti-counterfeiting measures.

FRONT: 'BANCO CENTRAL DE RESERVA DEL PERÚ' (Central Reserve Bank of Peru) | 'QUINIENTOS SOLES DE ORO' (Five Hundred Soles of Gold) | '500' (Denomination) | 'DIRECTOR' (Director), 'PRESIDENTE' (President), 'GERENTE GENERAL' (General Manager) — signature lines | Serial numbers: AE0170410 / A1L1170411. BACK: 'BANCO CENTRAL DE RESERVA DEL PERÚ' (Central Reserve Bank of Peru) | 'QUINIENTOS SOLES DE ORO' (Five Hundred Soles of Gold) | '500' (Denomination) | '2 DE JULIO DE 1976' (July 2, 1976) — issue date.

Intaglio engraving (line engraving) executed by Istituto Poligrafico dello Stato, Rome. The note demonstrates sophisticated security printing with complex guilloche patterns, fine-line geometric borders, and multi-color layered design typical of this Italian security printer's high-quality currency work from the 1970s. The landscape scene on the reverse showcases particular mastery of detailed line engraving technique, while the ornamental elements employ intricate crosshatch and geometric patterns for enhanced counterfeiting resistance.

This example exhibits serial number format AE0170410 / A1L1170411, consistent with the 1976 first series emission. The note is dated 2 DE JULIO DE 1976 (July 2, 1976) on the reverse. No rare varieties (such as color variants, overprints, or signature rarities) are apparent from the visual analysis. This represents the standard variety for Pick P-115, with the cataloged reference to P-125A indicating related but distinct denominations from the same series.