THE SMALLEST OF THE BIGGEST
Posted October, 2000
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T he
Central Bank put into circulation on January 18th the newly designed
$20 peso banknote clarifying that the previous version of this
denomination is still legal tender.
Printed in Buenos Aires by the State Mint (Sociedad del Estado
Casa de Moneda), said specimen retains the basic features of the one
in circulation while at the same time incorporating improvements in
its esthetics and security features. It carries on the backside
facsimilies of the signatures of the president of the B.C.R.A. and
the President of the Senate.
The new banknote presents the following characteristics: Front
side: effigy of Juan Manuel de Rosas; back side:
battle of the Vuelta de Obligado; predominant colors: red and
light green; measurements: 155 by 65 mm; paper cotton
weighing 90 g/square meter; localized, molded, multitonal, and
tridimensional watermark that reproduces Rosas' portrait and
includes the initials of his name; invisible and florescent security
fibers under ultraviolet light - these fibers show up in red, blue,
and yellow; a security thread in the form of a fine, dark band,
that, viewed through light, is seen in white and repeats the legend
"BCRA $20" and under ultraviolet light it shows a red florescence;
the printing on the front side with metal engraving and typographic
numeration over offset security features; the reverse side has the
same metal engraving and security features in offset.
The front side exhibits the following variations in its
design; new security features that include the reproduction of the
letter written by Rosas to Facundo Quiroga and the federal star
stylized in damasque; complimentary front-back matching of the
"federal star"; redistribution of the value in letters and numbers
of the metal engraving in light green ink; partial reproduction of a
portrait of Manuelita Rosas which is a work of the painter
Prilidiano Pueyrredon; the number "20" in the upper left-hand corner
in optically variable ink that is shiny and according to the angle
of observation it can be seen either as blue or green; concealed
image that is contained within the number 20; vertical numeration
red in the left margin and with changing size digitals in black on
the right (both present red and yellow florescence respectively to
ultraviolet light); identification for blind people made up of three
squares in relief.
The reverse has the following modifications: new security
measures made up of hexagons and guilloches; recreation of a
lithograph that represents the combat of the Vuelta de Obligado;
incorporation of biographical data and military trophies included in
the eight (8)reales coin of 1840; microlettering in the body of the
"20" numbers.
Source: El Telegrafo, Uno 5, Numero 18, Marzo
2000, Centro Numismatico Buenos Aires
Courtesy: Carlos A. Graziadio
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