5 Colones

The Banco Central de Reserva de El Salvador had a long relationship with Thomas De La Rue stretching back decades by the time this series was issued — a common arrangement for Central American states whose domestic printing infrastructure couldn't meet security production standards. The 1971–1976 date spread indicates progressive issue dates within a single series rather than a redesign, and notes from the early part of that window occasionally show more pronounced paper aging due to high velocity in a cash-dependent economy.

The watermark remains the primary security feature — relatively modest by the standards De La Rue was capable of delivering to larger clients at the time.