Catalog
5 Pesos
| Issuer | Mindanao Emergency Currency Board |
|---|---|
| Year | 1943-1945 |
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| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | P#S507 |
| Obverse description | The face is framed by a bold typographic border with foliate corner ornaments and numeral '5' cartouches at each corner, all printed in black letterpress. At left-center, a circular red seal of the Commonwealth of the Philippines bearing an eagle and shield is the dominant design element, accompanied by three red manuscript signatures of the Board Chairman and two Members below the central text block. The denomination 'FIVE PESOS' and the issuing authority 'MINDANAO EMERGENCY CURRENCY BOARD' are set in large display type at center, with the series designation 'CC' and serial number in red at upper right. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | The reverse is printed entirely in black letterpress and enclosed within a decorative border incorporating scrollwork, floral motifs, and numeral '5' cartouches at the four corners, with scroll-and-ribbon vignettes at left and right bearing 'FIVE PESOS' inscriptions. The central text panel carries bilingual redemption and anti-counterfeiting notices in English and Visayan (Cebuano), surmounted by the issuing authority and denomination in bold display type. |
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| Comments |
The Mindanao Emergency Currency Board was one of several provincial bodies authorized by the Philippine government-in-exile framework to issue guerrilla currency during the Japanese occupation. These notes circulated in direct competition with Japanese Military Pesos, which the local population largely distrusted and, where possible, refused. Acceptance of guerrilla notes was itself an act of resistance — possession could bring severe consequences under occupation authorities.
Mindanao's geography, with its mountainous interior and dispersed population, made central supply lines difficult for Japanese forces to fully control, which is precisely why guerrilla currency survived longer there than in Luzon.