1160 | Spanish Banknotes

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1 Peseta. (1937ca). Print Proof (recto). (Edifil 2020: 425). Spectacular artist proof, mixed print-collage technique, unique piece.

The problem of the lack of factions once the Civil War broke out affected both sides, although unequally. The scarcity of divisional currency in the territories controlled by the insurgent army was not apparent during the first stages of the conflict. Initially, the Franco government ordered the manufacture of 5 and 10 peseta notes in the fall of 1936, but it would not be until months later that it decided to bet on divisional notes for lower denominations. For this he had to resort to printing presses located in territories related to his cause, Germany and Italy. While the November 1936 issue was delivered to Giesecke & Devrient of Leipzig, who also supplied the paper for those first divisional notes of the same date, the first anniversary of the uprising prompted Franco to contact an Italian printer, Coen & Cartevalori, whose offer was cheaper than the German one. That first commission, signed on August 1, 1937, was an absolute failure and led to a perpetual fight between the Francoist government and the Milanese house, about which can be read in the Encyclopedia of Spanish Notaphilia and Escripofilia, Volumes 3 and 4 .
Given that the price was attractive and there had still been no disagreements, a month later, they signed another new contract for the manufacture of divisional notes, 1 and 2 pesetas, with an issue date intentionally chosen on October 12. Given that at that time no Francoist symbology had yet been established, it was decided to resort to traditionalist elements, beginning with the date and continuing with the coat of arms of Carlos III, a king of distinguished memory and under whose reign the Banco Nacional de Saint Charles.

The precious proof offered here is a work of exceptional quality. It is a sketch elaborated in great detail using the delineation, gouache and collage technique for mechanical lathe work, on very thick cardboard adhered to another even thicker support. The size of the design, 12.2 cm x 9 cm, is considerably larger than what would finally be printed, but with a large number of details that link it with the issue of 1 Peseta on October 12, 1937: first of all the main color, identical to the one finally printed, we also see the coat of arms, very similar, but located in the center (in the final version the size of the Order of the Golden Fleece is altered), the typography of number 1 is identical to that used in the final design, the cartouche with the name of the bank is in the same typeface and with the same exterior style, although, for design reasons, it is divided, the guilloche decorations on the exterior border are the same as those used later, although They changed the corners. The use of guilloche rosettes planned for the backgrounds is striking, an aspect that was completely discarded. Equally curious is the presence of two linguistic errors in the denomination in letters, the position of the accent in "pay" and a mysterious letter "P" located to the right of the shield. It could be suspected that this "P" was the designer's signature or perhaps a nod to the word "peseta". What is certain is that its strange position and equivocal meaning led to its not appearing in the final designs.

The copy is neither dated nor signed, which is a real pity, although it is clear that, due to temporary limitations, it could only have been made in September 1937. Presenting some insignificant stains, it is a unique document of extraordinary beauty and importance. notaphile worthy of a museum.

We thank Jose Antonio Castellanos Vargas for his collaboration in the historical contextualization of this extraordinary and historical piece of Spanish notaphilia.