I lived in Guatemala from 1959 to 1962, "on the economy", which means that I was paid with Quetzales, which were then par with the U.S. Dollar. So I paid my pension and incidentals with Quetzales from my salary at the Instituto Guatemalteco Americano (IGA) and The Mayan School in Guatemala City.

This also meant that I could not collect and keep anything but the current Medico Quetzal and One Quetzal notes an the occasional One, Two and Five "Chema" notes held for me by my friends the cashiers at the Bank of Guatemala. No 10's or 20's though, to rich for my blood. I still haven't got any of them. I do have a demonetized 100 Q note dated 21 Enero 1966, which I acquired in June 2001, on an all too short trip to my "El Pais de la Eterna Primavera". The exchange rate was seven Q. to the Dollar, as I recall. I carefully disremembered how much the 100 Q cost me.

The "Chemas" were from the government of Jose ("Chepe") Maria Orellana, (b.1872 - d.1926, President (1921 - 1926, whose bust appeared on those notes. The nickname came from a combination of "Chepe" and "Maria".

The greatest number of my Peso notes came from the shoemaker on the corner across from where I lived (3ra Av., 6-10, Zona 1). The notes were more or less neatly stacked in a corner behind the counter of his shop, which did make me cringe a bit. Bugs and all that might damage the notes.

I gave him all my business, which meant that I bought the material elsewhere, and he put the soles and heels on for me. Carefully, I expressed interest in the Pesos. He told me that they were just something he kept and had no sentimental value. I figured out that the Pesos were exchanged in 1925 at the rate of sixty to the Q. I added the number of Pesos he had stashed in the corner, did the brain-numbing math, and acquired the whole bunch at a sum satisfying to us both. The heck with my budget.

The Pesos are resting comfortably here in Virginia, along with a selection of other things Guatemalense. Which brings to the fore not coins, tokens or medals, but local issue notes.

The IGA moved to the former Gran Hotel for larger quarters. I was amongst the first persons to investigate the new location. I nosed about, opened a drawer or two, and VOILA! or DIOS MIO. A stack of Vales of 4 Reales. The last was hand written on the back, in Spanish, "383 - ultimo - favor aviseme". I dont have 383, but a goodly number. I actually signed one for Sr. Manuel Coronado Aguilar, possessor of a fabulous collection of Guatemalan numismatics, who by now is no longer with us. His collection must have gone to the Banco de Guatemala.

Page 16, Bulletin Number 69, 2004 of LANSA feasured a photo of a chit for 2 Reales issued by the Municipalidad de Guatemala. Member Stojan Blazanovic requested information concerning this note. I e-mailed Mr. Blzanovic with the ppropriate information. I found a reference to local issues in Furt Prober's "Historia Numismatica de Guatemala", 1957, which I shall quote in translation.

"DECREE OF 2 FEBRUARY 1901"

Concerning the circulation of legal coins of nickel and the incineration of cedulas [chits], which may have been issued by municipalities.

From the Executive Branch, Presidential Palace 2 February 1901. Fractional coins of nickel are already in circulation. The coins had been requested in order to retire from circulation chits issued by manicipalities. Therefore,

The circulation of those chits began because of a lack of small change, as indicated by previous governmental decrees, all of which are found in Prober's book. The book, incidentally, was translated from the Portuguese into Spanish in honor of the 11th anniversary of the Bank of Guatemala. Prober was a Brazilan numismatatist of some reknown in his field.

I have also acquired an International Reply Coupon. "CUPON-RESPUESTA AMERI-COESPANOL" in the amount of 7 CENTAVOS. The reverse of the coupon states, in three languages, Portuguese, English, and Spanish, that "This coupon is exchangeable in any of the countries which form the American-Spanish Postal Union for forms of payment equivalent to 15 centimes of gold franc, in the money of the country which exchanges it.