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Monday 6 December 2021

2140) 1,000 Peseta Banknote, Spain: The Banknote featuring Hernán Cortés (Front) and Francisco Pizarro González on the Back was issued by the Banco de España (Bank of Spain), before it was replaced by the Euro in 2002: Date of issue: 12.10.1992:

2140) 1,000 Peseta Banknote, Spain:  The Banknote featuring Hernán Cortés (Front) and Francisco Pizarro González  on the Back was issued by the Banco de España (Bank of Spain), before it was replaced by the Euro in 2002: Date of issue: 12.10.1992:

The Peseta was the currency of Spain between 1868 and 2002. Along with the French franc, it was also a de facto currency used in Andorra (which had no national currency with legal tender).

The name of the currency comes from "pesseta", a Catalan diminutive form of the Catalan word "peça" (meaning "piece or fraction") or the Spanish "peso" ("weight", used as a synonym for coin). 

The word peseta has been known as early as 1737 to colloquially refer to the coin worth 2 reales provincial or 1⁄5 of a peso.

Coins denominated in "pesetas" were briefly issued in 1808 in Barcelona under French occupation.

Banco de España ("Bank of Spain"):

The Bank of Spain (Spanish: "Banco de España") is the Central Bank of Spain. 

Established in Madrid in 1782 by Charles III, today the bank is a member of the European System of Central Banks and is also Spain's national competent authority for banking supervision within the Single Supervisory Mechanism. Its activity is regulated by the Bank of Spain Autonomy Act.

On Spain's entry into the Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union in 1994, the Banco de España became a member of the European System of Central Banks. The Bank of Spain holds 8.84% of the ECB's capital.

Banknotes - A Brief:

In 1874, the Bank of Spain (Banco de España in Spanish) introduced notes for 25 ₧, 50 ₧, 100 ₧, 500 ₧ and 1,000 ₧. 

Except for the 250 ₧ notes only issued in 1878, the denominations produced by the Central Bank of Spain did not change until the Civil War, when both the Republicans and Nationalists issued Bank of Spain notes.

In 1936, the Republicans issued 5 ₧ and 10 ₧ notes. The Ministry of Finance (Ministerio de Hacienda) introduced notes for 50 Cts, 1 ₧ and 2 ₧ in 1938, as well as issuing stamp money (consisting of postage or revenue stamps affixed to cardboard discs) in denominations of 5 Cts, 10 Cts, 15 Cts, 20 Cts, 25 Cts, 30 Cts, 40 Cts, 45 Cts, 50 Cts and 60 Cts.

Also, in 1936, the first Nationalist Bank of Spain issues were made in denominations of 5 ₧, 10 ₧, 25 ₧, 50 ₧, 100 ₧, 500 ₧ and 1,000 ₧. 1 ₧ and 2 ₧ notes were added in 1937

From the mid-1940s, denominations issued were 1 ₧, 5 ₧, 25 ₧, 50 ₧, 100 ₧, 500 ₧ and 1,000 ₧. The 1 ₧, 5 ₧, 25 ₧ and 50 ₧ were all replaced by coins by the late 1950s.

In 1978, 5,000 ₧ notes were introduced. 

The 100 ₧ note was replaced by a coin in 1982.

1,000 ₧ notes introduced in 1983, 200 ₧ in 1984 and 10,000 ₧ in 1987

The 200 ₧ and 500 ₧ notes were replaced by coins in 1986 and 1987.

The final series of banknotes were introduced between 1982 and 1987 and remained legal tender until the introduction of the Euro.

1000 Peseta Banknote:

This Banknote was the last one issued by The Bank of Spain, before introduction of the Euro and features Hernán Cortés (on the Front) and Francisco Pizarro González on the Back.

About Hernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro Altamirano, 1st Marquess of the Valley of Oaxaca (1485 – December 2, 1547):

He was a Spanish Conquistador who led an expedition that brought about the fall of the Aztec Empire and brought large portions of what is now mainland Mexico under the rule of the King of Castile in the early 16th Century.

 Cortés was part of the generation of Spanish explorers and conquistadors who began the first phase of the Spanish colonization of the Americas and destroying the local ancient cultures and their knowledge and symbols.

Born in Medellín, Spain, to a family of lesser nobility, Cortés chose to pursue adventure and riches in the New World. He went to Hispaniola and later to Cuba, where he received an encomienda (the right to the labour of certain subjects). 

For a short time, he served as "alcalde" ("magistrate") of the second Spanish town founded on the island. 

In 1519, he was elected captain of the third expedition to the mainland, which he partly funded. His enmity with the Governor of Cuba, Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar, resulted in the recall of the expedition at the last moment, an order which Cortés ignored.

Arriving on the continent, Cortés executed a successful strategy of allying with some indigenous people against others. He also used a native woman, Doña Marina, as an interpreter. She later bore his first son. 

When the Governor of Cuba sent emissaries to arrest Cortés, he fought them and won, using the extra troops as reinforcements. Cortés wrote letters directly to the king asking to be acknowledged for his successes instead of being punished for mutiny. 

After he overthrew the Aztec Empire, Cortés was awarded the title of Marqués del Valle de Oaxaca, while the more prestigious title of Viceroy was given to a high-ranking nobleman, Antonio de Mendoza. 

In 1541 Cortés returned to Spain, where he died six years later of natural causes.

The Banknote:

On the Front of the 1000 Peseta Banknote is seen a portrait of Hernán Cortés.

On the Back of the 1000 Peseta Banknote is depicted a portrait of Francisco Pizzaro.

The dimensions of this Banknote are 154.00 mm x 74.00 mm and its predominant colour is Green. 

This Banknote was issued on 12.10.1992.

About Francisco Pizarro González (16 March 1478 – 26 June 1542):

He was a Spanish conquistador, best known for his expeditions that led to the Spanish conquest of Peru.

Born in Trujillo, Spain to a poor family, Pizarro chose to pursue fortune and adventure in the New World.

 He went to the Gulf of Urabá, and accompanied Vasco Núñez de Balboa in his crossing of the Isthmus of Panama, where they became the first Europeans to reach the Pacific Ocean. 

He served as mayor of the newly founded Panama City for a few years, and undertook two failed expeditions to Peru. 

In 1529, Pizarro obtained permission from the Spanish crown to lead a campaign to conquer Peru and went on his third, and successful, expedition.

When local people who lived along the coast resisted this invasion, Pizarro moved inland and founded the first Spanish settlement in Peru, San Miguel de Piura.

 After a series of maneuvres, Pizarro captured the Incan Emperor Atahualpa at the Battle of Cajamarca in November 1532.

 A ransom for the Emperor's release was demanded and Atahualpa filled a room with gold, but Pizarro deceitfully charged him with various crimes and executed him in July 1533.

 The same year, Pizarro entered the Inca capital of Cuzco and completed his conquest of Peru.

 In January 1535, Pizarro founded the city of Lima.


The above Banknote is from the collection of my friend Jayant Biswas. Banknote scanned and post researched & written by Rajeev Prasad)





Interesting links to posts on Portugal and Spanish Coins and postage stamps on this blog:

For interesting posts on Coins and stamps of Spain, please visit the following links:






9) "Nacional Museo del Prado", Spain: Celebrating the Bicentenary milestone (1819-2019): Commemorative Silver Coins of 30 Euros issued by Fabrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre - Casa Real de la Moneda on 20.11.2019: Coins minted by the Madrid Mint





















For interesting posts on Coins and stamps of Portugal, please visit the following links:





6) "The Joker", Portugal: Portugal Post has issued a set of four stamps featuring "The Joker"character of DC Comics, who is an archenemy of the "Batman": Date of Stamp issue: 31.03.2020

7) Portuguese Numismatics (1st Group): A set of four Stamps in the values of N20g, A20g, E20g and 120g issued by CTT Correios (Portuguese Post) in partnership with INCM ("Imprensa Nacional-Casa da Moeda (the "Portuguese Mint & Official Printing Office") depicting coins from various periods of history: Date od Stamp set issue: 22.04.2020











The "Age of Discovery" Escudo Banknote Series:



For posts on coins issued under the Eurostar Coin Programme, please visit the following links:

6) Leonardo da Vinci, France: The latest issue from the Monnaie de Paris, France highlights him on the latest Europa Silver Star Coin Programme issued by the Paris Mint: Coin issue date: 03/2019


7) i) "Europa Coin Programme" or the "European Star Programme" or the "Eurostar Programme" ii) Central Bank of Malta issues 50 Euro (Gold) and 10 Euro (Silver) Proof Coins featuring "Architecture and artwork of the Gothic Era" in 05/2020 (which is a part of the wider programme focussing on the Ages of Europe: Date of Coins issue: 08.05.2020





2 comments:

  1. Santosh Khanna has commented:
    "Interesting. Thanks for sharing."

    ReplyDelete