30 escudos 1959
About This Note
This is a 30 escudos banknote from Portuguese India issued by Banco Nacional Ultramarino on January 2, 1959, representing the final years of Portuguese colonial rule in India. The note displays characteristic pink/mauve coloring with ornate Victorian-era engraving featuring a portrait of Afonso de Albuquerque on the obverse and a historical maritime scene depicting Portuguese Age of Discovery exploration on the reverse. In Fair condition, the note exhibits expected age-related foxing, staining, and creasing consistent with 65+ years of circulation, making it a historically significant artifact of Portuguese colonial numismatics.
Common. Portuguese India banknotes from the final colonial period (1959-1961) were issued in substantial quantities by Banco Nacional Ultramarino before the territory's annexation. This 30 escudos denomination from 1959 does not show indicators of scarcity—the serial number (1154427) suggests routine production runs, and no numismatic references indicate limited print runs or recall situations. While historically interesting as a colonial artifact, the note is readily available to collectors in the market. Fair condition examples like this specimen are typical for notes of this age and do not command premium pricing.
This banknote was issued during the waning years of Portuguese India, which lasted until 1961 when India forcibly annexed the territory. The imagery reflects Portugal's maritime heritage and colonial pride: Afonso de Albuquerque (1453-1515) was the second Portuguese Viceroy of India and architect of Portuguese dominance in the Indian Ocean, while the reverse depicts a Portuguese caravel with Christian crosses on its sails, symbolizing the Age of Discovery expeditions that established Portugal's Eastern Empire. The decree-law authorization (Decreto-Lei Nº 39221) and Lisbon date emphasize the metropolitan Portuguese control over colonial currency.
The obverse features a right-profile portrait of Afonso de Albuquerque, the legendary Portuguese conquistador and Viceroy of India (1453-1515), depicted with period facial hair and wearing a crown or formal headdress, positioned on the right side of the note. The design incorporates the Portuguese coat of arms (shield design) and is framed by ornate Victorian-era decorative borders with floral and scrollwork elements. Empty oval frames on both sides suggest watermark placement areas for security purposes. The reverse depicts a historical maritime scene from Portugal's Age of Discovery, showing a Portuguese figure in Renaissance costume observing a multi-masted caravel with Christian crosses emblazoned on its sails—typical of 15th-century Portuguese exploration vessels. A circular Banco Nacional Ultramarino seal with ship imagery appears in the upper left. The entire design employs fine-line engraving with intricate detail work characteristic of Thomas de la Rue security printing.
FRONT: 'BANCO NACIONAL ULTRAMARINO' (National Ultramarine Bank); '30' and 'TRINTA ESCUDOS' (Thirty Escudos); 'ÍNDIA PORTUGUESA' (Portuguese India); 'तीस एस्कुडों' (Hindi: Thirty Escudos); 'تیس اسکوڈوز' (Urdu: Thirty Escudos); 'DECRETO - LEI Nº 39221' (Decree-Law No. 39221); 'LISBOA, 2de JANEIRO de1959' (Lisbon, 2nd January 1959); 'O ADMINISTRADOR' (The Administrator); 'O GOVERNADOR' (The Governor); 'AFONSO DE ALBUQUERQUE' (historical figure identification); Serial number '1154427'. BACK: 'BANCO NACIONAL ULTRAMARINO' (National Ultramarine Bank); '30' and 'TRINTA ESCUDOS' (Thirty Escudos); 'THOMAS DE LA RUE & CO. LTD. LONDRE' (Thomas de la Rue & Co Ltd, London - security printer); 'LISBOA - 1859' (Lisbon - 1859, likely referring to historical commemorative dating).
Intaglio (engraved) printing, specifically executed by Thomas de la Rue & Co. Ltd. of London, one of the world's premier security printers. The visual analysis reveals characteristic fine-line engraving patterns in ornate borders, complex historical imagery with high detail resolution, and the printer's name explicitly printed on the reverse. Intaglio printing creates the raised impression and tactile quality evident in historical notes of this caliber, with the intricate scrollwork and portrait rendering demonstrating the sophisticated engraving plates and security features employed against counterfeiting.
This specimen represents the standard 1959 issue of Pick 41 with the date 'LISBOA, 2de JANEIRO de1959' (January 2, 1959) and printer credit 'THOMAS DE LA RUE & CO. LTD. LONDRE.' The note includes multilingual inscriptions in Portuguese, Hindi, and Urdu, reflecting the linguistic diversity of Portuguese India's population. The serial number '1154427' appears to be a single letter prefix followed by numeric sequence, typical of Banco Nacional Ultramarino production. No overprints or modifications are visible, indicating this is an unaltered circulated note from the first emission of this design.
