Catalog
2 Pesos = 2 Dollars
| Issuer | Banco de la República, Bogotá |
|---|---|
| Year | 188_ |
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| Value | 2 Pesos = 2 Dollars |
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| Obverse description | The obverse presents a central intaglio vignette of a seated classical female figure in armour, accompanied by a putto, with a large oval cartouche inscribed TWO DOLLARS overlaid on the composition. The heading reads ESTADOS UNIDOS DE COLOMBIA / EL BANCO DE LA REPUBLICA / BOGOTA in bold letterpress across the top, flanked by green guilloche numerals '2' at each upper corner. Spanish and English payment obligations appear in letterpress panels to the left and right of the central vignette, with spaces for handwritten serial number and date, and the title CAJERO beneath the lower margin. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | The reverse is printed in a single green tone and dominated by an elaborate central guilloche rosette within a large circular frame inscribed EL BANCO DE LA REPUBLICA BOGOTA. Two large symmetrical denomination numeral '2' counters in guilloche work appear at the left and right within ornate lathe-work cartouches, all enclosed by a continuous decorative scrollwork border. The imprint of Homer Lee Bank Note Co., New York appears in small letterpress along the lower margin. |
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| Comments |
The Homer Lee Bank Note Company was a mid-tier American security printer that operated out of New York during the 1880s and 1890s, competing against the better-known ABNCo and NBNCo for Latin American contracts. Their work for Colombian banks during this period was competent but not exceptional — they were rarely the first choice for prestige issues.
The dual-denomination format, pesos and dollars at parity, reflects the commercial reality of Bogotá's trading relationships in the 1880s, when dollar-denominated transactions with North American merchants were common enough to warrant explicit equivalence on the face of the note. The undated year field — printed as "188_" — places issue sometime within the decade but no closer.