Catalog
200 Bolívares
| Issuer | Banco de Maracaibo |
|---|---|
| Year | 1897 |
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| Currency | Bolívar (1879-1983) |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse is printed entirely in red on cream paper and composed of elaborate lathe-work guilloche patterns arranged symmetrically across the entire surface. Two large oval panels at left and right each bear the numeral '200' in bold, ornate lettering, while intricate geometric and floral engine-turned designs fill the intervening space; a scalloped decorative border frames the entire note. The imprint of the American Bank Note Company appears in small letters along the lower margin. |
| Reverse lettering | 200 AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY, NEW YORK |
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| Comments |
The Banco de Maracaibo was a regional commercial bank operating out of Venezuela's principal port city, and by the 1890s it held considerable influence over trade finance in the western lake region. This 200 Bolívares note is among the higher denominations the bank issued — a face value that placed it firmly in commercial rather than everyday use.
American Bank Note Company produced the series in New York, as it did for a substantial portion of Latin American private bank currency in this period. The Banco de Maracaibo lost its right of emission following Venezuela's 1940 banking reforms, which centralized currency issuance under the Banco Central.