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Classification of Gobierno Provisional de México notes

Elmer Powell has classified all the various printings of Gobierno Provisional de México by two types of imprints (‘MEXICO OFICINA DEL GOBIERNO’ and ‘OFICINA DEL GOBIERNO’), by series, by four titles and by three underprints. Many colour varieties appear due to ink mixtures and the variety of papers available during the revolutionary period. There are some noticeable colour differences (for example, some $20 have a blue reverse and some a red reverse), but if they can be consigned to changes in title or underprint, they do not of themselves produce different types. Others have suggested that green underprint and brown underprint on an otherwise identical note are different types.

Imprints

Two styles are known.

Imprint A Imprint B

Titles

Four titles were used for the treasury official whose signature appears on the lower right front of each note. In English these translate either as ‘the Subsecretary (or Chief of Staff) in charge of the Department of Finance’ or ‘by order of the Secretary, the Subsecretary’.

Title A
EL S.S. ENCARGADO DE LA
SRIA. DE HACIENDA
Title B
EL O.M. ENCARGADO DE LA
SRIA. DE HACIENDA
   

Title C
P.O. DEL SECRETARIO
EL SUBSECRETARIO
Title D
P.O. DEL SRIO.
EL S.S.

Underprints

Three general types are known for all denominations.

Type 1 underprint: A series of loops resembling Chinese fortune cookies Type 2 underprint: A series of wavy lines
 

Type 3 underprint: A series of interlocking loops
containing the words
‘Gobierno Provisional de la República Mexicana’

 

Within the different values another noticeable difference is the style used for the denomination in the corners (or, for the $10, in the guilloche).

One Peso Note Styles

curved base flat base with rhombus in corners flat base

 Two Pesos Note Styles

curved base flat base

 

Five Pesos Note Styles

small 5 large 5

 Ten Pesos Note Styles

México small Veracruz large Veracruz

Twenty Pesos Note Styles

curved base flat base fancy base

 

Elmer also distinguished between Roman ‘No,’ and italic ‘No.’ though we need to decide whether these were definite decisions about appearance or just the consequence (as in most cases of revolutionary paper money) of the shortage of type. Elmer decided to ignore most of the variations in background colour as attributable either to different print runs or aging, but also neglected another factor that might be important, especially with the Veracruz issues, namely, the nature of the Secretaría de Hacienda validating seals on the reverse. In the accompanying tables  for the different denominations I have occasionally tried to distinguish between the various seals.