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20 Centavos
| Issuer | Banco Nacional de Bolivia |
|---|---|
| Year | 1875 |
| Type | Standard circulation banknote |
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| Obverse description | Dark intaglio-printed note with the title BANCO NACIONAL DE BOLIVIA across the top. Two large numeral '20' counters flank a central oval vignette of the Bolivian coat of arms with an Andean condor. Stars and guilloche scrollwork frame the design, with the date 'Nov 1 de 1875' and place 'La Paz' at the foot. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Green intaglio print dominated by a large central '20' numeral set within an ornate guilloche panel. The word CENTAVOS is inscribed in bold lettering across the centre, flanked by two intricate corner vignettes with scrollwork and lathe-work patterns. The American Bank Note Co. imprint appears at the lower margin. |
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| Comments |
The Banco Nacional de Bolivia was established in 1871 as the country's first attempt at a nationally chartered commercial bank, and this small-denomination note belongs to its earliest emission. ABNC produced the full series in New York, and the quality of engraving on even the fractional values — like this 20 Centavos — reflects the house standard the company applied regardless of denomination.
Bolivia's monetary system in the 1870s was still anchored to the silver peso, and fractional paper of this type circulated primarily in urban commercial centers where coin shortages made small change impractical. Few survive; low-denomination notes from this period were used hard and discarded.