Catalog
50 Centavos large size
| Issuer | Caja de Conversión, Argentina |
|---|---|
| Year | 1899 |
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| Designer(s) | Louis-Eugène Mouchon |
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| Obverse lettering | República Argentina La Nación pagará al portador y a la vista 50 centavos moneda nacional LEY DE 20 DE SEPTIEMBRE 1897 CAJA DE CONVERSION (Translation: Republic of Argentina The Nation will pay the bearer and at sight 50 cents National currency Law of September 20, 1897 Conversion Fund) |
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| Reverse lettering | REPUBLICA ARGENTINA 50 CENTAVOS (Translation: Republic of Argentina 50 cents) |
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| Comments |
The Caja de Conversión was established by Argentina's 1890 Conversion Law, a direct consequence of the Baring Crisis — the near-collapse of Barings Bank in London triggered largely by Argentine sovereign debt default. The Caja's mandate was to issue paper money backed by gold at a fixed rate, ending the chaotic era of provincial and private bank emissions that had destabilized the peso for decades.
Louis-Eugène Mouchon is better known as a stamp engraver — his work on French and colonial postage is extensively documented — making his involvement in this Argentine series an interesting crossover. The large format of this 50 Centavos was deliberately retained even as later emissions shrank, a practical nod to the note's low denomination and the need for easy visual distinction in daily use.