Catalog
5 Gourdes
| Issuer | Banque Nationale de la République d'Haïti |
|---|---|
| Year | 1920-1924 |
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| Shape | Rectangular |
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| Obverse description | The obverse is printed in black and red on white paper, with two large central intaglio vignettes set within oval guilloche frames: the left oval contains a large monogram '5G' and the right oval presents a banana tree vignette. The bank title 'BANQUE NATIONALE DE LA REPUBLIQUE D'HAITI' is inscribed in bold letters across the top, with the denomination 'CINQ GOURDES' in a dark panel at the foot of the central design. Three signature lines appear at the bottom, with red numeral '5' counterfoils at left and right within elaborate guilloche rosettes, and 'SPECIMEN' overprints in red on both sides. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse is printed entirely in red on white paper, with a central text block containing the legal tender clause flanked by an oval intaglio vignette of a coffee bush at left and a large guilloche '5G' monogram medallion at right. The bank title 'BANQUE NATIONALE DE LA REPUBLIQUE D'HAITI' arches above the central panel within an elaborate geometric border, and the denomination 'CINQ GOURDES' with the numeral '5' appears in a bold panel at the base. Corner numerals '55' repeat in all four quadrants within the surrounding guilloche framework. |
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| Comments |
The Banque Nationale de la République d'Haïti during this period operated under a complex arrangement: the bank was effectively controlled by the National City Bank of New York following the 1915 American occupation, which meant U.S. financial interests had direct influence over the institution issuing these notes. The ABNC contract was a natural consequence of that relationship, not an independent procurement decision.
The P#152 series spans four years, suggesting reorders rather than a single print run — worth noting when comparing serial number ranges across surviving examples.