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1 Balboa, Central Bank of Issue of the Republic of Panama, Panama, 1941 (Pick 22)

DocumentedSupported by at least one credible specialist source.

Record status

Individual type · partial

Period

1941

Issuing entity

Panama

This 1 Balboa note was issued in Panama by the Central Bank of Issue of the Republic of Panama, dated 1941. It belongs to the Balboa (1904-date) currency system. Issuing authority and period recorded in the catalogue: Republic (1903-date). It measures 158 × 67 mm and is printed on paper. The Standard Catalog of World Paper Money lists the type as Pick 22.

Obverse: Portrait of Vasco Nuñez de Balboa. Vasco Nuñez de Balboa (c. 1475 – around January 12–21, 1519) was a Spanish explorer, governor, and conquistador. He is best known for having crossed the Isthmus of Panama to the Pacific Ocean in 1513, becoming the first European to lead an expedition to have seen or reached the Pacific from the New World. Its lettering reads “UN UN / MONEDA FIDUCIARIA DE CURSO LEGAL / CONSTE POR ESTE BILETTE QUE HAY DEPOSITADO EN / EL BANCO CENTRAL DE EMISIÓN DE LA / REPÚBLICA DE PANAMÁ / UN BALBOA / PAGADERO AL PORTADOR A SOLICITUD”.

Reverse: In the center we see the coat of arms of Panama. Its lettering reads “REPUBLICA DE PANAMA / UN BALBOA”. The note was printed by Hamilton Bank Note Company (HBNC), New York City, United States. Demonetized: 9 October 1941. Identification note: match the value, issuing bank, printed date and Pick number together; dates and signature combinations distinguish sub-varieties, which are not separated in this entry. Details follow the Numista catalogue entry and the Standard Catalog reference it cites; they have not been checked against a central-bank archive.

Evidence at a glance

Linked sources
2
Photograph views
2
Catalogue references
2

Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.

Historical context

Issued by the Central Bank of Issue of the Republic of Panama ( El Banco Central de Emisión de la República de Panamá ), through Article 156 of the Constitution of Panama, as enacted by President Arnulfo Arias on September 30, 1941. The bank was authorized to issue up to 6,000,000 balboas worth of paper notes, but only 2,700,000 balboas were issued on October 2, 1941. One week later, Ricardo Adolfo de la Guardia Arango replaced Arnulfo Arias as president in a coup d'état supported by the United States. The new government immediately closed the bank, withdrew the issued notes and burned all of remaining unissued notes. Very few of the so-called "Arias Seven-Day" notes escaped incineration.

Physical characteristics

Size
158 × 67 mm
Shape
Rectangular
Material
Paper

Technical characteristics

Printer
Hamilton Bank Note Company (HBNC), New York City, United States
Currency
Balboa (1904-date)
Demonetized
9 October 1941
Issuing bank
Central Bank of Issue of the Republic of Panama

Design

Obverse
Portrait of Vasco Nuñez de Balboa. Vasco Nuñez de Balboa (c. 1475 – around January 12–21, 1519) was a Spanish explorer, governor, and conquistador. He is best known for having crossed the Isthmus of Panama to the Pacific Ocean in 1513, becoming the first European to lead an expedition to have seen or reached the Pacific from the New World.
Reverse
In the center we see the coat of arms of Panama.
Obverse lettering
UN UN / MONEDA FIDUCIARIA DE CURSO LEGAL / CONSTE POR ESTE BILETTE QUE HAY DEPOSITADO EN / EL BANCO CENTRAL DE EMISIÓN DE LA / REPÚBLICA DE PANAMÁ / UN BALBOA / PAGADERO AL PORTADOR A SOLICITUD
Reverse lettering
REPUBLICA DE PANAMA / UN BALBOA

Identification

Value
1 Balboa
Dates recorded
1941
Distinguishing features
Printed date and signature combination separate sub-varieties
Catalogue number to match
Pick 22

Documentation checklist

Denomination
Research required
Issue or mint date
Recorded
Material
Recorded
Weight
Research required
Mint or printer
Recorded
Mint or printer mark
Research required
Catalogue reference
Recorded
Attached photograph (check rights)
Recorded

Recorded means a field is present, not independently verified. Read its wording, supporting source and the entry’s confidence level.

Catalogue references

  • Standard Catalog of World Paper Money (Pick)P22
  • NumistaN# 202457

Research required

  • Confirm date and signature varieties against the Standard Catalog of World Paper Money.
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