The Bank of the Republic
Two Thousand Pesos Gold · Simón Bolívar and the Vargas Swamp, 1984–1993
Four specimens, dated between 1984 and 1993, document the first issuance of Dos Mil Pesos Oro from El Banco de la República, with the portrait of Simón Bolívar on the obverse and the Battle of the Vargas Swamp on the reverse —the same design that years later would be adopted, without the word “Oro”, for the denomination of One Thousand Pesos. A fifth copy, circulated and with real numbering, allows the specimen to be compared with the bill actually put into circulation.
First specimen of the series, dated on the 165th anniversary of the Battle of the Vargas Swamp. Red “SPECIMEN” overprint on both sides.
Second known specimen of the issue, with a new date and a different specimen number; it retains the English “SPECIMEN” overprint.
Obverse (top) and reverse (bottom) — Notofilia.com CollectionSpecimen already bearing the Spanish legend “MUESTRA SIN VALOR” on both sides, reflecting the progressive nationalization of banknote production in Colombia.
Obverse (top) and reverse (bottom) — Notofilia.com CollectionAn issued circulation example of the same date as the preceding specimen, useful for comparing both versions side by side.
Obverse (top) and reverse (bottom) — Notofilia.com CollectionLast known specimen of the issue, dated at Santa Fe de Bogotá a few months before the word “Oro” disappeared from Colombian paper money by court order in 1993.
Obverse (top) and reverse (bottom) — Notofilia.com Collection
Bolívar and the Vargas Swamp
The reverse depicts the Battle of Pantano de Vargas (July 25, 1819), a decisive engagement in the Liberation Campaign, with a vignette of the equestrian monument erected at the site by Colombian sculptor Rodrigo Arenas Betancourt. This same design —Bolívar’s portrait on the obverse and the battle on the reverse— was later adopted for the Mil Pesos denomination, without the word “Oro”, from 1990 to 1996.
Four Years, Four Specimens
The 1984 and 1985 specimens carry the English overprint “SPECIMEN” with their own specimen numbering (“SPECIMEN N.° 747” and “SPECIMEN N.°1 77”, respectively), while those of 1986 and 1993 already adopted the Castilian legend “SAMPLE WITHOUT VALUE” —reflecting, as in other denominations of the time, the progressive nationalization of banknote production in Colombia. The 1993 specimen, already under the denomination in pesos oro on the verge of disappearing from Colombian paper money, documents the final stretch of this long issue.
Specimen vs. Circulated Banknote
The fourth copy, with the same date of December 17, 1986 as the immediately preceding specimen, corresponds to a banknote actually put into circulation: it bears real serial numbering (41675365) instead of zeros, and lacks the overprint “SAMPLE WITHOUT VALUE” and the cancellation perforations typical of the specimens. The direct comparison between the two allows us to clearly appreciate the distinctive marks of a printing specimen.
Sources
- Pick, Albert.Standard Catalog of World Paper Money.
- Hernández, Pedro Pablo.Coins and Banknotes of Colombia.
- Restrepo, Jorge Emilio.Coins of Colombia.
- Heritage Auctions —ha.com(opens in a new tab)
- Numista —numista.com(opens in a new tab)
- Bank of the Republic —banrep.gov.co(opens in a new tab)