Spain currency question - 1937 Gijon & 1937 Bilbao
worldcoinguy
Posts: 3,014 ✭✭✭✭
Hi all,
Long time forum member on the world coin side but this might be my first post over here on the current forum. Question regarding a couple of notes I had had tucked away for many years.
1 - 1937 Banco de Espana - Gijon - 100 pesetas
Is the cutoff printing on the left edge normal? Was this likely done at the mint before it was released? Curious about what this should tell me. 
2 - 1937 Banco de Espana - Bilbao - 100 pesetas
Is it normal for this note to have the extra area off to the right? Can anybody elaborate on the purpose/authenticity? Also, the cut on this is not 100% square. Why would this be the case?
Many thanks
2
Comments
Yes, the cutoff edge was done as a security measure - during the 18th and early 19th century - the edge was supposed to match up to a sheet in a book on redemption. It was called a counterfoil. By the 20th century this had really become impractical but was still used on Romanian currency into the 1940s On the lower note the full counterfoil was never cutoff as the note was never issued.
I kind of like the modernist designs on the reverse of the notes. Kind of unusual to find on Spanish notes from that time - but it obviously was printed for the city of Bilbao which was in the Republican(Liberal) part of Spain. The Nationalists under Franco were very conservative and would not have had modernist art on their notes.
@SaorAlba - Many thanks for the background! I was unaware that this was a security measure back in the early days, but makes good logical sense. I suppose that the political turmoil during the Spanish civil way could have reintroduced some old measures in a time of need.
I enjoy reading posts about topics outside of my areas of interest. No matter how long you're been collecting, there is always something new to learn.
Would these city issued notes by considered a type of emergency money like German notgeld, or are the regular issue notes for Spain during that time period?