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20 Colones
| Issuer | Banco Nacional de Costa Rica |
|---|---|
| Year | 1939 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 20 Colones (20 CRC) |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | 20 BANCO NACIONAL DE COSTA RICA DEPARTAMENTO EMISOR BANCO INTERNACIONAL DE COSTA RICA CAJA DE CONVERSIÓN LA CAJA DE CONVERSIÓN PAGARÁ AL PORTADOR Y A LA VISTA LA CANTIDAD DE VEINTE COLONES EN MONEDA ACUÑADA DE ORO DE LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS DE AMÉRICAM O EN LETRAS DE CAMBIO A LA VISTA SOBRE NUEVA YORK A OPCION DEL ADMINISTRADOR, EN LA RELACIÓN DE UN DOLAR POR CADA CUATRO COLONES. Acuerdo No. 7 SAN JOSE, 1 de Febrero de 1939 EL SECRETARIO DE HACIENDA EL DIRECTOR AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY. El Presidente, El Gerente, (Translation: National Bank of Costa Rica. Issuing Department. International Bank of Costa Rica. Conversion Office. The Conversion Office will pay the bearer on sight the amount of twenty colones, in minted gold coin of the United States of America, or in bills of exchange on New York at the option of the administrator, at the exchange rate of one dollar for every four colones. Agreement No. 7. San José, February 1st, 1939. The Secretary of the Treasury. The Director. The President. The Manager.) |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | 20 BANCO INTERNACIONAL DE COSTA RICA CAJA DE CONVERSIÓN AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY. BANCO NACIONAL DE COSTA RICA DEPARTAMENTO EMISOR Aunque este título expresa que es un certificado de la Caja de Conversión no es sino un billete corriente habilitado como tal por el Departamento Emisor del Banco Nacional de Costa Rica en uso de la facultad que le confiere la Ley N. 16 de 5 de noviembre de 1936. San José, febrero de 1939. El Presidente El Gerente (Translation: International Bank of Costa Rica. Conversion Office. American Bank Note Company. National Bank of Costa Rica. Issuing Department. Although this title states that it is a certificate from the Conversion Fund, it is actually a standard banknote authorised as such by the Issuing Department of the National Bank of Costa Rica, using the power conferred by Law No. 16 of November 5, 1936. San José, February 1939. The President. The Manager.) |
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| Comments |
Banco Nacional de Costa Rica was established in 1914 as a state-owned institution, consolidating the country's fragmented private banking sector. By 1939, with Central American economies still feeling the long tail of the 1930s depression, the government leaned heavily on BNCR as the primary instrument of monetary management — commercial credit, agricultural loans, and exchange control all ran through it.
The American Bank Note Company printed this series in New York. ABNC's relationship with Costa Rican currency production stretched across several decades and multiple issuing authorities, making their work the visual backbone of mid-century Costa Rican paper money. Pick P#200 is among the less frequently encountered BNCR denominations from this period in circulated grades, as larger-value notes turned over less often in everyday transactions.