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2021-05-18 Other articles >

Skripofiliya, the Spanish bank of the XIX century and A. S. Pushkin

1883: not only banknotes, but also bills of exchange


Skripophilia is the sister of bonistics, a hobby for those who collect old securities. We will talk about bills of exchange.
Banco de España has a long and prestigious 'credit history': it was founded in 1782 in Madrid by the Spanish King Carlos III under the name Banco National de San Carlos and had the status of a private non-state bank.
In 1829, it changed its name to Banco Espanol de San Fernando – this time in honor of the Spanish King Fernando VII.
From the moment of its creation, the bank lent to the Spanish kings by issuing obligations that were freely circulated until their repayment due to the trust in the signature of the king and actually performed the functions of money. The bank also issued its own banknotes called 'cedulas', convertible into hard currency.
In 1856, the bank received a new-and now final name-Banco de España, and in 1874-a monopoly on the issue of Spanish banknotes, which was lost to other private banks in Spain.
The exclusive issue did not mean that the bank was given the status of a state-owned bank: it continued to engage in commercial operations, including issuing promissory notes for private individuals.
As an example – a bill of exchange issued on a bank letterhead with the watermark 'BANCO de ESPAÑA'.
On the form there is also an embossed stamp with the image of the coat of arms of Spain: the convex image as a means of protecting documents and paper money was used in the XVIII century, they can be seen on the assignats of the Great French Revolution.
What can this bill tell you about?
On August 17, 1883, Don Jose Patricio Alonso personally wrote out a bill of exchange in the amount of 200 pesetas in the name of Dona Anna Abillan on the Banco de España letterhead for repayment at the bank's central office in Madrid after 4 days.
On the front side, the bill was certified by 2 signatures-an employee of the bank's branch in Barcelona (El Interventor) and a deputy. the manager (El Sub-Gobernador), and was assigned the outgoing number # 155-see the purple oval stamp.
On August 22, 1883, Dona Anna Abillan received 200 pesetas at the central office of the bank in Madrid, confirming the receipt of the money with her signature on the back of the bill, after which the bank stamped the repayment of the bill on the front side – PAGADO.
For what reason don Jose transferred the money to Dona Anna, the bill should not be reported, but looking at the sad girl depicted on the bill form, I remember the dialogue from Pushkin's 'Stone Guest', in which the heroine explains the reason for her marriage with the commander.
'Dona Anna - My mother told me to give me the hand of Don Alvar: we were poor, Don Alvar was rich.
Don Guang Is a Lucky Guy! He brought empty treasures to the feet of the goddess – that's why he tasted heavenly bliss!»
We will convert the 200 pesetas indicated on the bill into hard currency - we will get 58 grams of gold or 900 grams of silver: not such 'empty treasures' ...
Endowed with the de facto functions of a state bank, Banco de España remained a private bank until 1962, when it was transformed into the central bank of Spain de jure.

Скрипофилия, испанский банк XIX века и А.С.Пушкин

200 песет 1883 г., Испания

Country : Испания
Denomination : 200 песета
Year : 1883
Quantity :
Issuer : Banco de España
Series :
Valid from :
Valid till :
Cancelled :

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