20 Balboas, Central Bank of Issue of the Republic of Panama, Panama, 1941 (Pick 25)
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1941
Issuing entity
PanamaThis 20 Balboas 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 25.
Obverse: In the center we see a scene of a farmer with an ox cart. Its lettering reads “MONEDA FIDUCIARIA DE CURSO LEGAL / CONSTE POR ESTE BILLETE QUE HAY DEPOSITADOS EN / EL BANCO CENTRAL DE EMISION DE LA / REPUBLICA DE PANAMA / VEINTE BALBOAS / PAGADEROS AL PORTADOR A SOLICITUD”. Reverse: In the center we see the coat of arms of Panama. Its lettering reads “REPUBLICA DE PANAMA / VEINTE BALBOAS”. 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
- In the center we see a scene of a farmer with an ox cart.
- Reverse
- In the center we see the coat of arms of Panama.
- Obverse lettering
- MONEDA FIDUCIARIA DE CURSO LEGAL / CONSTE POR ESTE BILLETE QUE HAY DEPOSITADOS EN / EL BANCO CENTRAL DE EMISION DE LA / REPUBLICA DE PANAMA / VEINTE BALBOAS / PAGADEROS AL PORTADOR A SOLICITUD
- Reverse lettering
- REPUBLICA DE PANAMA / VEINTE BALBOAS
Identification
- Value
- 20 Balboas
- Dates recorded
- 1941
- Distinguishing features
- Printed date and signature combination separate sub-varieties
- Catalogue number to match
- Pick 25
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)P25
- NumistaN# 223778
Research required
- Confirm date and signature varieties against the Standard Catalog of World Paper Money.