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The $5 notes

Originally decree núm. 2 on 19 February 1915 authorised 70,000 $5 notes. Then on 10 July decree núm. 5 added a further 150,000 notes. Finally, decree núm. 18, on 12 January 1916, authorised a futher issue, without specifying the exact amount of $5 notes.

24 February 1915

Series Seal pos. Portrait type Paper from to total
number
total
value
 
J 1 1 Thick paper  00001  05000  5,000  25,000 includes numbers 00342 to 04662
A 3 1 Thick paper  10001  14000  4,000  20,000 includes numbers 10009 to 13235
E 2 1 Thick paper  19001 includes numbers 19130 to 22454


The paper sometimes shows a watermark composed of double-lined letters reading "L_doer Mills".
The green ink of the printing from the duty plate is bright on the J series and much darker thereafter.

20 April 1915

Oaxaca 5 U 147713

Series Seal pos. Portrait type Paper from to total
number
total
value
 
 U  3  2 AZTEC BOND         includes numbers 147111 to 183133CNBanxico #5745
 R    2           includes numbers 185080 to 185600
 Z  3  2 Thick plain paper         includes numbers  216121 to 220231
      Thick, ribbed ALVAREZ         includes numbers 217541 to 220207

 

The AZTEC BOND paper is the same found among the earlier 1 peso notes and may show the watermark horizontally or vertically, also inverted. The thick ribbed paper shows fine vertical ribbing and may show portions of a watermark "_ABASA ALVAREZ" or a large eagle.
The R series appears to be rare. The U series is actually two small series, none to be found in the 153000-181000 range.

26 May 1915

Oaxaca 5 J 208200

Oaxaca 5 J 208200

Series Seal pos. Portrait type Paper from to total
number
total
value
 
 J  2  3 Medium plain         includes numbers 237223 to 240240CNBanxico #11792
 U  3  3 AZTEC BOND         includes numbers  281484 to 284819CNBanxico #5740
 A  1  3 AZTEC BOND         includes numbers 326165 to 330481

 

Starting this date, the bottom inscription lacks accents and has a smaller space between SOTO and OAX.

26 June 1915

Series Seal pos. Portrait type Paper from to total
number
total
value
 
 A  8  3 AZTEC BOND         includes numbers 351146 to 255982
 R  1  3 AZTEC BOND         includes number  394170
 Z  3  3 AZTEC BOND         includes numbers 433355 to 437821

 

19 July 1915

Series Seal pos. Portrait type Paper from to total
number
total
value
 
 J  3  3 AZTEC BOND         includes numbers 468084 to 471781
 A  1  3 AZTEC BOND         includes numbers  541254 to 545981
 Z  2  3 AZTEC BOND         includes numbers 581662 to 583387
      Plain thick         includes number  584100


 Series Z's thick paper tore easily so these are difficult to obtain in better than Fine condition.

10 August 1915

Series Seal pos. Portrait type Paper from to total
number
total
value
 
 I  1  3 Plain paper         includes numbers 587233 to 592343

 

3 September 1915

Oaxaca 5 Z 809922

Oaxaca 5 Z 809922 reverse

Series Seal pos. Portrait type Paper from to total
number
total
value
 
 Z 3 3 Plain paper WHITE wmk         includes numbers 802451 to 809985

 

On the reverse, the decree number and date have been changed: "Decreto No. 5 del 10 de Julio de 1915." Up until this series, the blue color was fairly consistently a dark grayish blue, but from this printing on one finds a wide range of shades including ultramarine, a greenish blue, light blue, pale gray blue, etc.
In the inscription at the bottom of the front, OAXACA is now spelled out.

24 September 1915

Series Seal pos. Portrait type Paper from to total
number
total
value
 
 l(1)  1 red  3 Medium         includes numbers 872305 to 877442
 I(2)  3 red  3 Medium         includes numbers  968727 to 971828
 I(3)  3 green  3 Medium         includes numbers 1-087721 to 1-093648
 I(4)  1 green  3 Medium         includes numbers 1-202917 to 1-208215


The colour of the serial number was changed from red to green with number l ,000,000. Same for the Treasury Seal.
The paper sometimes shows a watermark of double-lined capital letters reading WHITE (?).
crack in 5Besides the seal position changes, there are also minor typographic changes that indicate several printings which no doubt alternated with the P & Z 1 peso printings. These are mainly recognizable from variation in the letter spacing in PESOS and flaws in the "S"s. One of the "S"s shows a small break or gash in the outline of the bottom-right curve. Initially this "5" is found at the lower left comer, then appears at the lower right (on notes with the treasury seal at position 9), then appears once more at the lower left comer. So far, only ten or twelve notes have been studied - there may be much more to be discovered about these 24 September notes.

 

15 November 1915

Oaxaca 5 P 1608358

Oaxaca 5 P 1608358 reverse

Series Seal pos. Portrait type Paper from to total
number
total
value
 
 P  10  3 Medium         includes numbers 1-312422 to 1-318337
 D  3  3 Medium         includes numbers 1-427707CNBanxico #5743 to 1-433766
 Y  11  3 Medium         includes numbers 1-590245 to 1-595767
 P  6  3 Medium         includes numbers 1-602330 to 1-603819
      Thick, with ledger lines         includes numbers 1-605511 to 1-607572
      Medium with faint ledger lines         includes number 1-609724

 

Starting this date, all 5 pesos notes have a border of two lines, one wavy, instead of the sawtooth typesetting.
The style of the "P" is different in the two "P" series, the first being sans-serif and tall.
The medium paper is actually two papers that are virtually indistinguishable except that they occasionally shows the watermark VOUCHER BOND in double-lined sans-serif letters or WHITEHALL in letters which are similar except they are slightly thicker and less distinct.
The thick paper on which some of the second P Series notes have been found can include purple ledger lines as well as
the more typical red and bluish gray lines.

14 January 1916

Series Seal pos. Portrait type Paper from to total
number
total
value
 
 R  2  3 Medium with very faint lines         includes numbers 1-710862 to 1-719279
 U(?)                

 
On the reverse, the decree line has been changed: "Decreto No. 18 del 12 de Enero de 1916."
The U series was included in Rosovsky's list but I have not seen it. Considering how small the gap is between the latest serial number in the R Series and the earliest of the January 17th U Series, one might wonder if it really exists. It could be that a few 14 Enero unfinished notes were finished on the 17th - they would, of course, be quite rare.

17 January 1916

Oaxaca 5 U 1726396

Oaxaca 5 U 1726396 reverse

Series Seal pos. Portrait type Paper from to total
number
total
value
 
 U  11  3 Medium with very faint lines         includes numbers 1-720043 to 1-729841

 

19 January 1916

Series Seal pos. Portrait type Paper from to total
number
total
value
 
 Z 9 3 Medium with very faint lines         includes numbers 1-730096 to 1-739660

 

21 January 1916

Series Seal pos. Portrait type Paper from to total
number
total
value
 
 J  9  3 Faint ledger lines         includes numbers 1-740506 to 1-747824

 

24 January 1916

Series Seal pos. Portrait type Paper from to total
number
total
value
 
E 1  3  Horizontally laid, “MEXICO”         includes numbers 1-752106 to 1-753014
 9    Medium, "Hidalgo wmk.”         includes number 1-754519
 1             includes numbers 1-757191 to 1-759220

 

The horizontally laid paper comes with a watermark "MEXICO" in dark (thicker paper) letters.
Only a portion of the "Hidalgo" watermark can be seen on a note. A portrait of Hidalgo is surrounded by rays, wreath, etc. and below are the dates "1810-1910" in double-line numerals.
This series exists lacking the serial numbers and treasury seal - an unfinished remainder.

26 January 1916

Series Seal pos. Portrait type Paper from to total
number
total
value
 
 A 1 3  "Hidalgo"          includes numbers 1-761620 to 1-768683

28 January 1916

Series Seal pos. Portrait type Paper  from to total
number
total
value
 
 Z 8 3  "Hidalgo"          includes numbers 1-770104 to 1-779092

29(?) January 1916

Series Seal pos. Portrait type Paper from to total
number
total
value
 
 J                


This was listed by Rosovsky but I haven't seen it. If it really exists it is a very small printing, possibly an error made at the start of the January 31st printing or printing made on the 29th that for some reason was very small and probably left unfinished until the 31st.

31 January 1916

Series Seal pos. Portrait type Paper from to total
number
total
value
 
 J 2 3  "Hidalgo"          includes numbers 1-780277 to 1-788638


Note 1,785,670 has the last two digits erased and re-entered (a correction?) at both positions.

2 February 1916

Series Seal pos. Portrait type Paper from to total
number
total
value
 
 R 10 3  "Hidalgo"          includes numbers 1-791097 to 1-799799

 

8 February 1916

Series Seal pos. Portrait type Paper from to total
number
total
value
 
 A 13 3  "Hidalgo"          includes numbers 1-801134 to 1-808134

 

10 February 1916

Series Seal pos. Portrait type Paper from to total
number
total
value
 
 U 1 3  "Hidalgo"          includes number 1-810746CNBanxico #5749 to 1-817423CNBanxico #5750

14 February 1916

Series Seal pos. Portrait type Paper from to total
number
total
value
 
 U  1  3  "Hidalgo"          includes number 1-816786
 E  3  3  "Hidalgo"          includes numbers 1-821002 to 1-828848

 

The U series appears to be scarce. Judging from the serial number, it appears to have been an error where 14 Febrero dated notes were intermixed with and finished with the 10 Febrero notes or may have been numbered to replace some defective notes from the earlier issue.

15 February 1916

Series Seal pos. Portrait type Paper from to total
number
total
value
 
 E 3 3  "Hidalgo"          includes numbers 1-832431 to 1-839795

 

20 February 1916

Series Seal pos. Portrait type Paper from to total
number
total
value
 
 U 6 3  "Hidalgo"          includes numbers 1-841009 to 1-949262

 

22 February 1916

Series Seal pos. Portrait type Paper from to total
number
total
value
 
 J 4 3  "Hidalgo"          includes numbers 1-850629 to 1-859537

25 February 1916

Series Seal pos. Portrait type Paper from to total
number
total
value
 
 A  12  3  "Hidalgo"          includes numbers 1-860012 to 1-869719

 

On the reverse, the decree line has been changed: "Decreto No. 12 de’l 18 de Enero de 1916." It is believed this is simply a transposition of the previous numbers.

28 February 1916

Series Seal pos. Portrait type Paper from to total
number
total
value
 
 Z 14 3  "Hidalgo"         includes number 1-872000