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20 Centavos 402nd Anniversary of the Discovery of America
| Issuer | Tesoro Nacional de Nicaragua (National Treasury of Nicaragua) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1894 |
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| Reference(s) | P#20 |
| Obverse description | Blue letterpress print on plain paper with red serial number at upper right. The face carries bold denomination text 'VEINTE CENTAVOS' across the upper portion, with a large blue guilloche underprint reading '20 CENTAVOS' spanning the centre field. Two manuscript signatures appear across the lower half, below several lines of legal-tender text citing the Decree of 12 October 1894. At the foot, a commemorative legend honours the 402nd anniversary of Columbus's discovery of America, with the printer's imprint 'Lit. Nacional' at lower left. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | BILLETE DEL TESORO NACIONAL SERIE I. REP. DE NICARAGUA VEINTE CENTAVOS Este billete será recibido en las oficinas Fiscales como moneda de Curso Legal (Art.1º) Desde el mês de Enero de 1896. La Tesoreria amortizara no ménos de $15.000ºº mensuales de billetes (Art.7º) Decreto de 12 de Octubre de 1894. 20 CENTAVOS 402 AÑOS DE DESCOBRIMIENTO DEL AMÉRICA POR EL INMORTAL GENOVÉS, CRISTOBAL COLON. Lit. Nacional (Translation: Banknote from National Treasury Series I. Rep. of Nicaragua Twenty Cents This note will be received at the Fiscal Offices as Legal Tender currency (Art.1º) Since the month of January, 1896. The Treasury will amortize no less than $15,000 monthly of banknotes (Art.7) Decree of October 12, 1894. 20 CENTS 402nd Anniversary of the Discovery of America Lit. National) |
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| Comments |
Nicaragua's Tesoro Nacional issued this note in 1894 to mark the 402nd anniversary of Columbus's 1492 landfall — an oddly specific occasion for a commemorative emission, and one with no obvious parallel elsewhere in Latin American numismatic history. The choice of 402 years rather than a round centennial suggests the date was driven by practical fiscal need rather than genuine commemorative intent, with the anniversary providing political cover for a new low-denomination issue.
Printed domestically by Litografía Nacional, this is one of the earlier known examples of Nicaraguan paper currency produced entirely in-country rather than contracted to European or North American security printers.