Catalog
5 Escudos
| Issuer | Banco Nacional Ultramarino |
|---|---|
| Year | 1935 |
| Type | Standard circulation banknote |
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|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | BANCO NACIONAL ULTRAMARINO DECRETO No. 17.154 PROVINCIA DE S. TOMÉ e PRÍNCIPE CINCO ESCUDOS PAGAVEL NAS DEPENDENCIAS DA PROVINCIA DE S. TOMÉ e PRÍNCIPE LISBOA, 26 de Junho de 1935. BRADBURY, WILKINSON & Co. Ld. GRAVADORES, LONDRES (Translation: National Bank Overseas Decree no. 17,154 Province of St. Thomas and Prince Five Escudos Payable at the premises of the Province of St. Thomas and Prince Lisbon, June 26, 1935. Bradbury, Wilkinson & Co. Ltd. Engravers, London) |
| Reverse description | Black and blue-green intaglio on a fine guilloche-patterned ground, with orange-red ornamental vignettes at each lateral border. A central oval medallion, encircled by the bank title, encloses an allegorical seated female figure with sailing ships in the background; the denomination numeral "5" appears in large format within elaborate lathe-work surrounds at both left and right. A rectangular panel at the top carries the payability legend, with the printer's imprint set at the base. |
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| Comments |
Banco Nacional Ultramarino held a unique position in Portuguese colonial finance — it was a private bank granted state-backed note-issuing rights across multiple overseas territories simultaneously, a arrangement that persisted well into the twentieth century. This particular series was produced by Bradbury Wilkinson during a period when the London firm was the dominant supplier of colonial currency printing for Portuguese Africa, handling plates for several BNU territories concurrently.
The specific colony of issue for P#26 is Angola. By 1935, the escudo had replaced the earlier angolar-denominated notes, following the currency reforms tying Angolan monetary policy tighter to Lisbon.