With some of them, you cannot buy anything; with others very little. All, indeed, are on the road to extinction. The ¢5, ¢10, ¢20, ¢50, and ¢100 banknotes are seen less and less often in the streets.

Some of the versions that are known are very different from the originals. The ¢10 note was of a deep blue; the ¢20 showed the face of Clodomiro Picado (then it was changed to Cleto Gonzalez Viquez); and the ¢100 had along with the face of don Ricardo Jimenez, a herdsman with cows.

These daily friends lived a very short life. "They had a life average from six months to two years," said Manuel Chacon, curator of the numismatic Museum of the Central Bank.

One of the most attractive note speciments of Costa Rican numismatics is the ¢5 banknote. That one and the ¢5000 have appeared on the covers of the most important catalogs of the planet," stated Chacon.

The first of these catalogs, "The Art of Money" by David Standish, says that, "it (the ¢5 note) is easily one of the most attractive of many issued. It reproduces a 1857 painting (the author is mistaken since the work is dated 1897) that hangs in the National Theatre..." It refers to the Allegory by the Italian, Aleardo Villa.

"This banknote has become a very popular but it never bought much, but as there was much speculation in the Central Bank, it issued all of these that it had in its vaults." said Jorge Murillo, President of the Numismatic Association of Costa Rica.

In spite of its beauty and the interest that it awakened, this note has more sentimental than economic value. "At the beginning of the 90's, an enormous printing was made, many people hoarded them, and others were exported to the United States where they were obtained easily," added Chacon.

In the Plaza of Culture vendors offer them to the public for $1 or $2 US. Nevertheless, on Internet auctions sponsored by Yahoo! they are offered, "reduced" to $20 (and it is mentioned that the original price was $25.)

The same phenomenon does not happen with the others. "Collectors do not pursue them since they are relativelyu recent and common. Their prices do not go up more than a few dollars." affirmed Chacon.
 

Valuable Proofs

The ¢10, ¢20, ¢50, and ¢100 have similar histories although they are lesser known. All have experienced important modification in their design.

Every time that the Central Bank initiates the issuance of new banknotes, the printing manufacturers show them their specimens. These never circulate, but some of them are saved as part of the national economic history.

In the Numismatic Museum of the Central Bank, underneath the Plaza of Culture, some of these proofs are stored.

The differences consist of color, design, and even the personages and people present on each bill. One of the ¢10 specimens shows a blue banknote, not sky-blue in color as what finally circulated, and the face of Rodrigo Facio is sightly different than what was included in the issued note.

The ¢20 originals showed the scientist Clodomiro Picado in place of the ex-president Cleto Gonzalez Viquez.
 

In 1983 polymer banknotes were placed into circulation (plastic money). The public did not receive them too well, and in a short time they were retired. "They were part of one of the first experiments on a world-wide level. The public did not pay for them. The American Banknote Co. donated them." said Chacon.

The ¢50 note, issued to celebrate the centenary of the National Bank of Costa Rica, included a legend that referred to this fact but it was eliminated in the following series.

One of the most curious changes was how they experimented with the ¢100 banknote. In the Thomas de la Rue proposal of 1969, there is a herdsman together with the face of don Ricardo Jimenez Oreamuno. This meadow, with cows included, was eliminated in the design that is circulated today. Part of the changes are related, besides, with the reality of the country.

"Each one supplies much information about the time period in which the banknote was issued, above all those that carry a lot of images." said Murillo.

"In the 70's elements such as the University of Costa Rica, the National Bank, the Supreme Court of Justice were featured. In the 90's important elements of the country were centered around the international scope, above all everything relating with the conservation of natural resources," pointed out Chacon. Some that are clearly relected are the toucans, sharks, and the picture of Coco Island (Isla de Coco) that fill the higher denomination banknotes.

Source: AL DIA, San Jose, Costa Rica, 10 febrero 2003.
Courtesy: Mauricio Aguero nd Michael Whelihan