100 escudos 1958
About This Note
This is an exceptional uncirculated example of the Portuguese Guinea 100 Escudos from 1958, issued by the Banco Nacional Ultramarino. The note displays pristine condition with crisp, clean appearance and no visible wear, featuring a striking purple and gold color scheme on the obverse and green-toned allegorical design on the reverse. This note is particularly notable for its fine line engraving, intricate guilloche patterns, and classical artistic composition, representing an important piece of Portuguese colonial monetary history.
Common. While this is a colonial-era Portuguese banknote from 1958, the 100 Escudos denomination from Portuguese Guinea appears regularly in the collector market. There is no evidence of extremely limited print runs or short-lived circulation that would create scarcity. The note's availability in the market and the existence of multiple cataloged variants (P-38a through P-38cts) with examples professionally graded by PMG indicate a sufficient production volume for general circulation. Uncirculated examples like this one command modest premiums over circulated specimens but do not qualify as rare.
Issued on November 20, 1958, during the height of Portugal's colonial presence in Guinea, this banknote reflects the administrative authority of the Banco Nacional Ultramarino, Portugal's overseas banking institution. The obverse features the portrait of João Teixeira Pinto, reflecting the colonial governance structure of Portuguese Guinea. The reverse depicts an allegorical seated female figure with a sailing ship in the background, symbolizing Portugal's maritime heritage and colonial commercial enterprise in West Africa during this period.
The obverse features a bearded male portrait on the left side, identified as João Teixeira Pinto, who held an administrative position in Portuguese Guinea. The portrait is set within an ornate decorative border with geometric patterns and corner medallions displaying the '100' denomination. The center contains the coat of arms of Portuguese Guinea and a decorative circular seal on the right side. The reverse depicts an allegorical female figure in classical style, seated and draped, symbolizing either Liberty or Portugal itself, positioned centrally with classical Corinthian columns flanking the composition. A full-rigged sailing ship appears in the background on water, emphasizing maritime themes. The design incorporates radiating sunburst patterns and shell or fan motifs in the lower corners, all executed in fine line engraving with an elaborate guilloche pattern background. The color palette transitions from purple and gold on the obverse to predominantly green on the reverse.
{"front":{"issuer":{"original":"BANCO NACIONAL ULTRAMARINO","translation":"National Overseas Bank"},"location_date":{"original":"LISBOA, 20 de NOVEMBRO de 1958","translation":"Lisbon, November 20, 1958"},"region":{"original":"GUINE","translation":"Guinea"},"denomination":{"original":"CEM ESCUDOS","translation":"One Hundred Escudos"},"legal_reference":{"original":"DECRETO LEI Nº 34/72","translation":"Decree-Law No. 34/72"},"signatures":{"original":"O ADMINISTRADOR / O GOVERNADOR / JOAO TEIXEIRA PINTO","translation":"The Administrator / The Governor / João Teixeira Pinto"},"serial_number":{"original":"B 3650054","translation":"Serial number"}},"back":{"denomination":{"original":"CEM ESCUDOS","translation":"One Hundred Escudos"},"payability":{"original":"PAGAVEL NA GUINE","translation":"Payable in Guinea"},"issuer":{"original":"BANCO NACIONAL ULTRAMARINO","translation":"National Overseas Bank"},"printer":{"original":"BRADBURY, WILKINSON & CO LD GRAVADORES, LONDRES","translation":"Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co Ltd Engravers, London"}}}
This note was produced using fine line engraving and intaglio printing methods by Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co Ltd, a renowned London-based security printer. The visual analysis confirms intricate guilloche patterns throughout both sides, detailed allegorical figure engraving, and complex geometric border patterns characteristic of hand-engraved banknote production. Color-shifting design elements and the exceptional sharpness of detail observed in the uncirculated condition confirm professional security printing standards of the period.
This specific example is assigned serial number B 3650054 with a 'B' prefix. According to PMG population records, there are at least seven known variants of Pick 38, including varieties with different printers (BWC—Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co). The visual evidence of Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co Ltd printing on the reverse confirms this is one of the printer-identified variants. The Decree-Law reference Nº 34/72 on the obverse may indicate a later printing or authorization date relative to the 1958 issue date, suggesting this may be from a reprinting or extended series.
