1916 Mexico 1 Peso Revolutionary Banknote Infalsificable S599 Serie T Fine/VF

This is an original Mexican Revolution 1 Peso "Infalsificable" (Unforgeable) note issued by Venustiano Carranza's Constitutionalist provisional government (Gobierno Provisional de México) in 1916.

Note Specifications

• Country / Issuer: Mexico (Gobierno Provisional de México)

• Denomination: 1 Peso (Un Peso)

• Date: May 1, 1916 (Decreto de 3 de Abril de 1916)

• Catalog Number: Pick #S599

• Series: Serie T

• Serial Number: No. 4550290 (with red "N" control overprints)

• Printer: American Bank Note Company (ABNC), New York

Design Vignettes

• Obverse: Features the statue of Christopher Columbus at the far left the Valley of Mexico with an eagle on a cactus and snow-capped volcanoes (Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl) in the center, and a pre-Columbian stone sculpture head at the lower right.

• Reverse: Features the radiant Mexican cap of liberty (Gorro Frigio) at center surrounded by the text República Mexicana, framed in intricate Mesoamerican-inspired geometric border patterns.

• Bank / Treasury Stamp: Displays an authentic purple/black circular validation handstamp on the upper reverse, typical of wartime circulation processing.

Historical Context

• The "Infalsificable" Issue: By 1916, rampant counterfeiting and uncontrolled hyperinflation of previous revolutionary paper (bilimbiques) wrecked Mexico's monetary system. Carranza contracted the high-security American Bank Note Company to print high-grade, engraved "unforgeable" notes backed by a gold reserve fund.

• Collapse: Despite the sophisticated anti-counterfeiting engravings, public confidence in paper currency was broken. The notes depreciated rapidly within months until Carranza's administration was forced to mandate metallic gold and silver coinage by late 1916.