Catalog
25 Pesos - Isabel II
| Issuer | Banco Español Filipino de Isabel II |
|---|---|
| Year | 1852-1865 |
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| Value | 25 Pesos |
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| Obverse description | An oval portrait vignette of Queen Isabel II is centred at the top of the note, encircled by an ornate wreath and surmounted by a royal crown. Denomination cartouches reading 'P.Fs.25' appear at upper left and upper right, set within decorative scroll and guilloche border ornaments on a blue paper ground. Three manuscript-style signature lines for El Comisario Regio, El Director, and El Cajero are positioned at lower centre, accompanied by the place and date of issue in letterpress. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | EL BANCO ESPAÑOL FILIPINO DE ISABEL 2a á la presentacion de este billete pagará al portador VEINTE Y CINCO pesos fuertes. Manila (Translation: The Spanish-Filipino Bank of Isabel II Upon presentation of this bill, will pay the bearer Twenty five hard pesos. Manila) |
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| Comments |
The Banco Español Filipino de Isabel II was the first bank established in the Philippines, chartered in 1851 under a royal decree from Madrid. Its early notes — including this 25 Pesos denomination — were among the first Western-style banknotes issued anywhere in Southeast Asia, predating comparable institutions in most of the region by decades.
Printing was done locally in Manila, which was unusual for colonial currency of the period; most comparable Spanish colonial issues were produced in Europe. The practical consequence was inconsistent quality across the series, and surviving examples frequently show ink irregularities traceable to Manila's tropical humidity affecting the press and paper stock.
The bank was later renamed Banco Español Filipino in 1908, following the end of Spanish rule.