Philippines WWII 1944 20 Pesos Mindanao Emergency Currency Certificate

• Issuing Authority: Mindanao Emergency Currency Board (MECB)

• Command / Region: Island of Mindanao (10th Military District / Allied Guerrilla Free Zone under U.S. Col. Wendell W. Fertig)

• Denomination: Twenty Pesos (₱20)

• Series / Authorization: Series 1944 (Variety code E5)

• Catalog Reference: Pick # S261 (Specialized Issues: Philippine Guerrilla & Emergency Currency)

• Serial Number: 41329 (Black typography)

• Face Color & Execution: Crisp black typography border and denomination text, accented with vivid green lithographed signatures and central Commonwealth coat-of-arms seal.

• Officials (Facsimile Signatures in Green):

  • Judge Florentino Saguin (Chairman)

  • Filoteo Dianala (Member)

  • Judge Juan Barbasa (Member)

• Front Inscription:

  "Treasury Emergency Certificate / By Authority of the President of the Philippines / COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES / This certifies that the Commonwealth Government of the Philippines will redeem this Certificate at face value upon termination of Emergency / TWENTY PESOS / MINDANAO EMERGENCY CURRENCY BOARD"

• Reverse Features:

  • Horizontal geometric border with corner denomination boxes (20 / TWENTY PESOS).

  • Bilingual redemption obligation and anti-counterfeiting decree in English and Cebuano/Visayan:

    "This note is redeemable at face value after the emergency and will not be devaluated or discriminated against / Counterfeiting of this note will be severely punished"

    "Kining sapi-a kailisan sumala sa iyang bili tapus ang kagubut ug dili kakubsan ni kaayran / Mabug-at nga silot ipahamtang sa maga kawat pag sundog ning sapia"

Historical Context

• The 10th Military District: Unlike isolated provincial civil boards, Mindanao operated under a unified resistance network commanded by U.S. Army Reserve Lt. Col. Wendell W. Fertig. Fertig's guerrillas controlled substantial portions of the island interior, maintained direct two-way submarine and radio communications with Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s GHQ in Australia, and built an organized logistics network.

• The "Wilson Mint": Printed in mobile, hidden jungle facilities directed by civilian mining engineer Samuel J. Wilson. Because Fertig received regular supply drops via Allied submarines (such as the USS Narwhal), Mindanao issues frequently utilized higher-quality, smooth white bond paper and colored inks compared to the rough brown kraft paper used in the Visayas.

• Validation Standards: By 1944, high-volume production eliminated manual hand-initialing on the reverse. Authentic issues rely on the printed board signatures, plate block letter (E5), and stamped black serial number.

Technical & Visual Assessment

• Technical Grade: About Uncirculated to Choice Uncirculated (AU 58 – CU 63)

• Paper & Surface Preservation:

  • Bright, clean, and crisp paper body with full structural integrity and zero signs of environmental staining or jungle moisture damage.

  • Shows only faint storage/handling wave through the vertical axis; no harsh folds or heavy creases.

  • Sharp 90-degree corners with no blunting, fraying, or rounding.

  • Margins are complete and fully bordered with zero edge splits, tears, or staple holes.

  • Deep, unfaded black border lines with rich green ink contrast on the central seal and signatures.

• Centering: Well-balanced framing with complete margins on all sides.

Collector Value & Market Pricing

• Market Classification: Philippine WWII Guerrilla / Emergency Scrip (Mindanao Issue).