1000 Colones Series C

American Bank Note Company printed this series across a span of years that included its own corporate collapse — ABNC filed for bankruptcy in 1990, mid-run, forcing several Latin American central banks to scramble for alternative printers. Costa Rica managed the transition without visible interruption to the series, though later dates within the P#256 run may reflect production shifts in how contracts were fulfilled during the receivership period.

The watermark is the sole mechanical security feature, modest even by the standards of the era.