Catalog
20 Pesos
| Issuer | Banco de Occidente |
|---|---|
| Year | 1903-1920 |
| Type | Standard circulation banknote |
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| Obverse description | The obverse is printed in dark green and black tones, with the bank title 'BANCO DE OCCIDENTE' in bold letters across the upper portion flanked by large numeral '20' counters at each corner. A central intaglio vignette presents an allegorical female figure standing in a tropical landscape, accompanied by a quetzal bird perched to her right, set against lush foliage. The Guatemalan coat of arms appears as a circular seal to the left, while guilloche underprint elements and the place of issue 'EN QUEZALTENANGO' frame the composition, with denomination text 'Veinte Pesos' and serial number printed below the vignette. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | BANCO DE OCCIDENTE VEINTE EN QUEZALTENANGO QUEZALTENANGO REPUBLICA DE GUATEMALA Pagará al portador Veinte Pesos en moneda efectiva Y A LA PRESENTACION N° 1051005 |
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| Comments |
Banco de Occidente was a regional private bank chartered in Cali, and like most Colombian departmental banks of the period, it retained note-issuing privileges under the 1880s banking legislation that decentralized currency production across the republic. The American Bank Note Company held standing contracts with several of these Colombian issuers simultaneously, which means the plate quality and engraving on this note are likely shared with or adapted from work done for neighboring institutions in the same print run cycle.
The long date range — 1903 to 1920 — spans Colombia's post-War of the Thousand Days recovery period and ends just before the 1923 Kemmerer Mission reforms that abolished private bank note issuance entirely and centralized currency under the Banco de la República.