100 Pesetas. July 18, 1937. Color proof of front and back (adhered together) of the Not Issued and Numbering 0,000,227 (posthumous as usual). (Edifil 2021: NE42P, Pick: 106C). Extremely rare, very few known copies, without a doubt one of the rarest banknotes in the Spanish billet, it coincides with the one photographed in the Filabo catalog and with the one sold at the Caja Madrid auction. Uncirculated.
In 1937, after a year of civil war, the Franco side decided that it was time to produce more elaborate banknotes than the simple lithographic ones of November 1936. To do so, they turned to the Italian company C&C Banconote, which, despite not Having experience in the production of banknotes, he accepted the assignment, even though it meant having to learn a new printing technique, intaglio.
The order involved the manufacturing of millions of banknotes in the classic Spanish denominations: 25, 50, 100, 500 and 1,000 pesetas. After having paid tribute to the cities that rose up in favor of the rebels, the idea was to turn to a fairly recurring theme: national deeds. In this way, the 25 peseta bill would be dedicated to the Conquest of America (Columbus, caravels and Martín Alonso Pinzón), the 50 peseta bill would be dedicated to the Reconquest (Alfonso VIII, battle of Navas de Tolosa and Arab standard), the 100 pesetas to the War of Independence (General Castaños, battle of Bailén and coat of arms), that of 500 pesetas to the War against the Turks (Juan of Austria, battle of Lepanto and Álvaro de Bazán) and that of 1,000 pesetas to the War for the Duchy of Milan against the Valois (Charles V, battle of Pavia and Isabel of Portugal).
After what happened due to the scandal of the leak of stolen banknotes (25 and 1,000 pesetas) in Bilbao, Hendaye and Tetouan, the Bank of Spain decided to destroy the banknotes that had already been received. This burning took place, according to what is said, in the Soria branch (despite the fact that we have evidence that there were banknotes in Sevilla, which is curious). One million 1,000 peseta banknotes, eleven million 100 peseta banknotes and eight million 25 peseta banknotes were destroyed in this way, that is, 2.3 billion pesetas in banknotes, at a cost of more than 6.5 million Italian lire.
The story goes that a 100 peseta bill was saved from burning when it flew away almost intact and that it was rescued by a local shepherd. This bill allows us to determine the color combination that was finally chosen, Prussian blue for the obverse, with the shield in light green, and purple for the reverse. However, the note offered for auction here features a very different combination, reddish brown with a blue shield. It is identified as 000227. It is the only preserved sample of a different color. There is another one in the adopted colors marked S 0210. It is almost unnecessary to say that it is a unique and extraordinarily attractive specimen worthy of the best collections.
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