1 peso 1942
“Negros Occid.”
Market Prices
About This Note
This is a Philippine 1 Peso emergency circulating note from January 1942, issued by the Commonwealth of the Philippines during the Japanese occupation. The note features a portrait of President Quezon on the obverse with ornate tan and brown decorative borders, red Commonwealth seal, and official authorization text dated January 20, 1942. In VG condition, the note shows expected age-related wear including creasing, foxing, and discoloration, with a notable center fold and edge wear consistent with circulation during wartime emergency currency distribution.
Common. The eBay price tracking data shows this note trading in the $2-20 USD range across various circulated conditions, with VG condition examples in the $6-12 range. The serial number range documented in catalog data (1 to 402,000) indicates a substantial print run of emergency currency. As a provincial emergency issue from Negros Occidental, while historically significant, these notes were produced in sufficient quantity to maintain affordability in the collector market. The VG grade positions this example in a typical middle range for circulated specimens.
This emergency circulating note was issued under presidential authority on January 20, 1942, shortly after the Philippines entered World War II following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The note bears the seal and authorization of the Negros Occidental Provincial Currency Committee dated January 26, 1942, reflecting the decentralized emergency currency system implemented by provincial authorities when normal banking operations were disrupted. The portrait of President Manuel Quezon represents the legitimate Commonwealth government, even as the nation faced occupation and the need for emergency currency measures in provincial areas.
The obverse features a formal portrait of President Manuel Luis Quezon positioned at the left side, rendered in black ink against an orange underprint as documented in the catalog. The note is dominated by an ornate geometric and floral border pattern in brown and tan tones with black line work, typical of 1942-era Philippine currency design. At the right, a red circular seal identifies the issuing authority (Negros Occidental Provincial Currency Committee with the Bacolod city seal dated Jan. 26, 1942). The reverse displays a simpler but formal design with a red/pink color scheme, featuring a diamond-shaped central element with 'ONE PESO' and 'COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES' text, surrounded by vertical line patterns and ornamental corner designs. Multiple signature lines for authorized provincial officials appear on the obverse, indicating the multilayered authorization required for provincial emergency currency.
FRONT: 'ONE PESO' / 'EMERGENCY CIRCULATING NOTE OF 1942' / 'ISSUED BY AUTHORITY OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES ON JANUARY 20, 1942' / 'THE COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES WILL PAY TO THE BEARER ON DEMAND ONE PESO IN LAWFUL CURRENCY OF THE PHILIPPINES' / 'NEGROS OCCIDENTAL PROVINCIAL CURRENCY COMMITTEE' / 'SERIES OF 1942' / 'QUEZON' / Official designation lines for Provincial Fiscal Member, Provincial Treasurer, Chairman, and City/Provincial Auditor Member / Serial number: 911430. BACK: 'ONE PESO' / 'COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES' / 'PESO' (repeated). All text in English reflecting Commonwealth administration.
This note was produced using letterpress/relief printing, evident from the crisp black line work in the decorative borders and text on the obverse. The orange underprint and red printing on the reverse were applied separately, suggesting multiple passes through the press. The red serial number (911430) and seal impressions indicate stamp or separate printing application. The repeating line pattern on the reverse suggests mechanized background pattern printing. The printing quality and security features are consistent with Philippine government currency production of the early 1940s era, produced domestically under emergency wartime conditions.
This example bears the Negros Occidental Provincial Currency Committee imprint, identifying it as a specific provincial issue variant of the 1942 emergency peso series. The serial number 911430 falls within the documented range for this issue. The January 26, 1942 Bacolod city seal date and the specific signature lines for provincial officers (Provincial Fiscal, Provincial Treasurer, Chairman, City/Provincial Auditor) are characteristic of this provincial variant. Pick catalog P-S646a designation specifically identifies this as the Negros Occidental variety, distinguishing it from emergency pesos issued by other Philippine provinces or the central Commonwealth authority during the same period.
