Catalog
20 Pesos
| Issuer | Banco de Chile |
|---|---|
| Year | 1884 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 20 Pesos |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Multicolour note printed in green and black, with the bank title BANCO DE CHILE arched across the top beneath a promise-to-pay legend reading PAGARA AL PORTADOR A LA VISTA EN VALPARAISO. The central vignette displays the Chilean coat of arms flanked by two oval vignettes: a railway viaduct to the left and an industrial harbour or bridge scene to the right. The denomination VEINTE PESOS is stated in large letterpress text on either side of the central arms, with MONEDA CORRIENTE below and VEINTE 20 PESOS repeated in large numeral underprint across the lower portion. Vertical side panels carry the bank name and denomination, and the imprint of the American Bank Note Company appears at the bottom centre. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | BANCO DE CHILE PAGARA AL PORTADOR A LA VISTA EN VALPARAISO VEINTE PESOS MONEDA CORRIENTE Valparaiso 20 POR EL GERENTE POR EL DIRECTOR GERENTE SUPERINTENDENTE DE LA CASA DE MONEDA American Bank Note Co. New York |
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| Comments |
Banco de Chile was founded in 1893 — which means a note attributed to it in 1884 requires scrutiny. The S-prefix in the Pick reference confirms this is a spurious or unissued specimen classification, and the dating may reflect the plate preparation year rather than any actual issue date. The American Bank Note Company routinely produced specimen sets for prospective Latin American clients, many of which were never formally adopted by the contracting institution.
Whether this note ever entered circulation is the real question. ABNC specimens from this period were sometimes retained in the company's own archives in New York and later dispersed through auction.