El Banco de Aguascalientes

Other banks

The first bank to open a branch in Aguascalientes was the Banco de Zacatecas, in 1897, though its notes already circulated and were accepted in the most important shops. In July 1897 the board of that bank asked the Aguascalientes Congress for certain tax exemptions for the branch that it proposed to set up in the capital and, having received them^{decree núm. 856 dated 10 July 1897[text needed]}, began operation on 1 September. The Banco de Londres y México opened a branch in August 1903 and the Banco Nacional de México at the end of 1904.

El Banco de Aguascalientes

Meanwhile a group of investors from San Luis Potosí, on 29 April 1902, obtained the concession to establish the Banco de Aguascalientes. The authorised capital was $600,000, divided into 6,000 shares (acciones) of $100 each, and the purchase of 50 shares was a requsite for a seat on the Board of Directors. Thus each man whose signature appears as Consejero (Board Member) on the notes was a person of some means who owned at least $5,000 in shares in the bank.

The original subscribers were:

 
This bank opened its doors on 29 August 1902.

In addition to the main offices in Aguascalientes, there was a branch in Guadalajara, Jalisco.

In January 1909 it was announced that the Banco de Jalisco has secured control of the Banco de Aguascalientes by the purchase of 5,000 of the 6,000 shares that had been issued but apart from the closure of the bank's branch in Guadalajara no change was contemplated for the bank's management^{The Oasis, Nogales, Arizona, Second Series, Vol. XII, No. 11, 16 Jan 1909}. However, at a meeting of stockholders held on 28 January a new board was elected to replace the directors from San Luis Potosí. The new board was composed of Eugenio Cuzin, Aurelio G. Hermosillo, Augusto Brun, Abraham Gallardo and José Pacheco, all from Guadalajara, as vocales propietarios and Luis Barrón, Francisco Bernal, Juan Guadalupe Ortega, Gualterio Eikel and Felipe Torres as vocales suplentes^{The Mexican Herald, 3 February 1909: El Diario, 3 February 1909}.

When Carranza ordered a review of the banks of issue Augusto Brun, for the bank, argued that it was only the loans imposed by Huerta that meant the bank had breached the conditions of its concession and asked for a few months' grace to rectify the situation but on 15 December 1915 the Comisión Reguladora e Inspectora declared that the bank had forfeited its concession.

The bank was finally liquidated in 1921.

American Bank Note Company print runs

The ABNC engraved special vignette (C 252) for a portrait of Pedro José Garcia Rojas, first governor of the Federal territory of Aguascalientes (1836)^{Antonio López de Santa Anna led his troops to Aguascalientes on 1 March 1835 and stayed at the home of Pedro José García Rojas. At a reception ball given by Rojas, the President asked his host’s wife, Maria Luisa Villa de García Rojas, for a kiss telling her that, in exchange, he would give her whatever she requested. In response to this, she gave him a kiss on his cheek in the middle of the room and said: “I haven’t been able to contain myself, thrilled by the formal promise of the General to give liberty to Aguascalientes”. On 23 March 1835, twenty-two days later, the acceptance of Aguascalientes as a territory was decreed. The first governor was Pedro José García Rojas.}, to appear on the $5 and $1,000 notes  and of the church of San Marcos (C 849) to appear on all the faces. The female on the $100 note was stock image C 773, whilst stock image C 774 appears on all backs.

The first printing (F 48) was

On 14 May 1910 the bank asked for a quotation for 10,000 new $5 notes but on 31 May placed an order for 22,000 $5 and 14,000 $10 notes^{ABNC, folder 552, Banco de Aguascalientes (1910-1932)}. For this second printing (F 2529) the ABNC altered the plates by removing the date line "Aguascalientes _______ 19__" and adding the date "Julio 1^o de 1910".

These $5 and $10 notes were shipped to the Banco Central Mexicano by Wells Fargo Express, via Laredo, on 1 September 1910^ibid..

On 4 April 1914, the bank requested a price for 14,000 $5 notes, 3,000 $10, and 80,000 $1 and 40,000 50 centavos notes^ibid..  The ABNC asked for details of the proposed 50c and $1 notes but by 6 May the bank had decided not to place an order with the ABNC ^ibid. as it had already agreed a contract with the American Book and Printing Company.

The ABNC plates were cancelled on 28 September 1931 (order F 9459)^ibid.{.