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2 Gourdes
| Issuer | République d'Haïti |
|---|---|
| Year | 1883 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Third gourde (1872-date) |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | The obverse is divided into three horizontal registers. At left, an oval vignette shows a reclining dog beside a safe or strongbox, symbolizing vigilance and security; at right, a rectangular vignette presents a harbour scene with a cannon, sailing ships, and artillery equipment in a classical engraved style. A central guilloche medallion bears the large numeral '2'. Below, a full-width text panel in French states the note's legal authority, referencing the Assemblee Nationale law of 16 October 1875 and the import tax law of 28 August 1883, with 'DEUX GOURDES' printed in bold letterpress. The header reads 'REPUBLIQUE D'HAITI' in large capitals, with series and serial number printed above the text block. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | 2 2 |
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| Comments |
Haiti's 1883 note issues came during a period of chronic fiscal instability, when successive governments borrowed heavily against customs revenues and paper money was printed in quantities that outpaced any realistic backing. The American Bank Note Company had been supplying Haitian currency since the 1870s, and this note is part of that extended relationship — ABNC held the contract through repeated changes of administration in Port-au-Prince, which says something about how few alternatives existed for a Caribbean government needing engraved security printing.
Surviving examples from this series are genuinely scarce. Paper currency in 19th-century Haiti suffered badly from the climate, and redemption rates were irregular at best.