Signature Set Detail: 5f..1869 - QUINIENTOS 500 PESOS - REPUBLICA DE CUBA IN ARMS

Set Category:

World

Owner:

EMO COLLECTION 

Set Theme:

The 500 Pesos note is exceedingly rare and second only to the 50 Pesos note which is the rarest of this Series. We have been able to account for only 10 notes of this denomination in the last twenty five years we have been actively following this Series.

Set Description:

THE UPRISING OF THE FIRST WAR OF INDEPENDENCE IN CUBA TOOK PLACE IN "LA DEMAJAGUA" SUGAR MILL ON OCTOBER 10th., 1869 WHEN CARLOS MANUEL DE CESPEDES, ITS OWNER, BURNED THE MILL TO THE GROUND AND FREED HIS SLAVES. CESPEDES THUS BECAME THE LEADER OF THE UPRISING AND LATER THE FIRST PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC IN ARMS. A DELEGATION WAS CREATED IN NEW YORK "LA JUNTA REPUBLICANA DE CUBA Y PUERTO RICO" TO REPRESENT THE INDEPENDENCE MOVEMENT OF THE TWO ISLANDS ADEPTLY NAMED BY JOSE MARTI AS [THE TWO WINGS OF THE SAME BIRD.] BY 1869 THE JUNTA HAD COMMISSIONED THE PRINTING OF THESE NOTES. THE NAME OF THE BANKNOTE COMPANY IS MISSING FROM THE NOTES AND HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF SPECULATION FOR MANY YEARS, HOWEVER AT THE SALE OF THE AMERICAN BANKNOTE CO. ARCHIVES, THE FIRST CUBAN LOT AUCTIONED WAS OFFERED AS A "SPECIMEN" SET OF THIS ISSUE. I WAS FORTUNATE TO ACQUIRE THIS SET FOR MY CABINET. THE LOT WAS COMPOSED OF STOCK PAGES WITH NOTES GLUED IN VALUES RANGING FROM 50 CENTS TO 50 PESOS. SOME WERE ISSUED NOTES WHILE OTHERS SHOWED NO SERIAL NUMBERS AND HAD TWO CANCELATION HOLES IN THE SIGNATURE AREA. OF EXTREME INTEREST WAS A TYPEWRITTEN NOTATION MADE ON A CONTEMPORARY BLANK STOCK PAGE (with very old typewriter letters) READING AS FOLLOWS: "REPUBLIC OF CUBA 1869 - We have plate proofs on India and some specimens (filed in the plate proof file). These impressions have no imprint. We have not been able to ascertain the company that made these notes. The vignette die was with the National Bank Note Company stock but does not bear their imprint. There does not seem to be any record anywhere concerning these notes. Even inquired at the Cuban Consulate."
IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT DURING 1879 THE NATIONAL BANK NOTE COMPANY MERGED WITH THE AMERICAN BANK NOTE COMPANY, THUS WE MUST ARRIVE AT THE CONCLUSION THAT THE NATIONAL BANK NOTE COMPANY DID IN FACT PRINT THE REPUBLICA DE CUBA NOTES IN 1869.

Signature Set Details:

Slot Name	Slot Comment	Certification #	Note Info	Country	Grade	Photo
1869...P59	LARGE ISSUED NOTE Serial Letter B Serial No. 260 with Dry Seal reading: * DIOS Y LIBERTAD * REPUBLICA DE CUBA Hand dated Setiembre 8 Hand signed by C.M. de Cespedes - El Presidente and C. Izaguirre - El Ministro de Hacienda REVERSE: $500	8006670-001	Cuba Republica De Cuba 500 Pesos	Cuba	AU 53 NET

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