Catalog
2 Colones Silver Certificate, overprinted on back
| Issuer | República de Costa Rica (Government Issue) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1919 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Colón (1896-date) |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Size | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Printer | Log in to see details |
| Designer(s) | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | Log in to see details |
| Obverse description | Portrait vignette of Christopher Columbus in left medallion, rendered in fine intaglio engraving. Central guilloche panel carries the large numeral '2' and the denomination 'DOS COLONES' in bold letterpress. The Costa Rican coat of arms appears in a circular vignette at right, with serial numbers flanking the central panel at upper left and right. Two manuscript signatures of the Secretario de Hacienda and the Administrador Principal appear at lower center, above the imprint of the American Bank Note Co., New York. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Central vignette of a laureated female allegorical figure. Guilloche panels bearing the numeral denomination occupy the left and right fields. A block of overprinted text in Spanish appears at left, with an additional handstamp applied at right, both serving to revalidate the note under the Law of 23 June 1917. Two manuscript signatures appear below the overprinted text. |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Signature(s) | Log in to see details |
| Protection type | Log in to see details |
| Protection description | Log in to see details |
| Variants | Log in to see details |
| Comments |
Costa Rica's 1919 government issue silver certificates were printed on existing American Bank Note Company stock — the 2 Colones plate predated this particular authorization, and the "overprinted on back" designation reflects a subsequent official validation stamp applied to adapt inventory already in hand rather than commission an entirely new printing. This kind of back-overprint practice was common in Central American fiscal administration during periods of monetary instability, when speed of issuance outweighed the cost of fresh plates.
The silver certificate designation is significant: it implies nominal specie backing at a moment when Costa Rica's convertibility commitments were already under pressure from post-WWI commodity disruptions affecting its coffee export revenues.