Catalog
25 Pesos
| Issuer | Administración de las Rentas Públicas de Costa Rica |
|---|---|
| Year | 1885 |
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| Reference(s) | P#122 |
| Obverse description | Black intaglio print on white paper with fine guilloche border work framing the entire note. At centre, a scenic vignette portrays a group of elegantly dressed figures observing a large waterfall landscape. To the left, the national coat of arms of Costa Rica is set within a circular medallion, while to the right a portrait bust of a uniformed military officer is presented in fine intaglio engraving. The denomination numeral '25' appears in the upper corners, with the issuer's title 'REPUBLICA DE COSTA RICA' arched across the top and the text 'LAS ADMINISTRACIONES DE LAS RENTAS PUBLICAS PAGARAN AL PORTADOR' below; the printer's imprint 'American Bank Note Co. N.Y.' is visible at the lower centre. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | REPUBLICA DE COSTA RICA LAS ADMINISTRACIONES DE LAS RENTAS PUBLICAS PAGARAN AL PORTADOR la suma de VEINTE Y CINCO PESOS en moneda acuñada y corriente de este Pais SAN JOSE de Costa Rica 25 American Bank Note Co. N.Y. |
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| Comments |
The Administración de las Rentas Públicas was not a central bank but a government revenue authority — its role in issuing fiduciary currency reflects the fragmented, improvised state of Costa Rican monetary administration in the 1880s, before the Banco Nacional de Costa Rica consolidated that function. American Bank Note Company's involvement was typical of the period, when Latin American governments routinely contracted New York engravers rather than develop domestic printing capacity.
Pick 122 is among the scarcer denominations from this issuer. The 25-peso face value placed it at the upper end of everyday utility, which generally meant lower print runs and faster institutional absorption rather than broad hand-to-hand circulation.