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2 Bolívares

Issuer Leproserías Nacionales - Ministerio de Sanidad y Asistencia Social
Year 1940
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Currency Bolívar (1879-1999)
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Obverse description The note is printed in blue-violet on white paper with an overall guilloche underprint. A central vignette depicts a tropical coastal scene with palm trees and a sailing vessel, framed by ornate scrollwork. The denomination numeral '2' appears in large format at left and right, with the institution name 'LEPROSERÍAS NACIONALES' across the upper portion and a bottom legend restricting circulation to the leprosaria.
Obverse lettering MINISTERIO DE SANIDAD Y ASISTENCIA SOCIAL
LEPROSERÍAS NACIONALES
DOS BOLÍVARES
2 BOLÍVARES
SER.B- 00594
PARA CIRCULAR ÚNICAMENTE EN LAS LEPROSERÍAS
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Comments

Venezuela's leprosarium currency system was one of the longest-running quarantine monetary schemes in Latin America. The Leproserías Nacionales issued their own scrip to prevent patients — legally confined to isolation colonies — from using currency that might re-enter general circulation. The Ministry of Health administered the program, and notes were valid only within the colony boundaries, essentially functioning as a closed monetary economy enforced by public health law.

The 1940 series was printed domestically. Surviving examples of any denomination from this issue are scarce; the user population was small and the notes were not intended to leave the colonies.