Five Pesos Victory Series No. 66
Treasury Certificate · Pick 96a · serial F00618071
Historical and Issue Context
Five pesos, McKinley and Dewey: the specimen is a Treasury Certificate for five pesos, with William McKinley at left and Admiral George Dewey at right. The clause promises payment in silver pesos or in United States legal tender of equivalent value (the Commonwealth peso was tied to the dollar at 2:1).2 The printed face value is FIVE PESOS.
Pick 96a, not Pick 119: the Standard Catalog and the Bank Note Museum number this type —Victory Series No. 66 without the red Central Bank overprint— as Pick 96; Numista lists 96a (circulation), 96r (star), and 96s (specimen).3,5 Unlike the 2 pesos, there is no Roxas signature on the 5 pesos.6 Pick 119 is the same design with a red “CENTRAL BANK OF THE PHILIPPINES” overprint applied in 1949 on remaining Pick 96 stock (119a thick lettering, 119b thin).4 This specimen does not carry that red overprint.
The 1944 liberation: Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas records that American liberation forces brought Victory Series No. 66 in 1944, and that after the Central Bank was created in 1949 the series denominations were overprinted “Central Bank of the Philippines” and remained legal tender until 30 July 1964.1 In its monetary history the BSP describes those Treasury certificates overprinted with the word Victory as the paper used when sovereignty was recovered.2
“No. 66”: Philippine numismatic sites attribute to a BEP report the choice of 66 as Manuel L. Quezon’s age at death (1 August 1944). Quezon was born on 19 August 1878 and was 65; the figure 66 does not match that age.8 The BEP report is not cited here at first hand.
Key Details Visible on the Banknote
- Portraits: William McKinley at left and Admiral George Dewey at right, each in an oval with the name below; “VICTORY SERIES NO. 66” to the left of the central text.
- Heading: “TREASURY CERTIFICATE” and the Philippine legislature authorization approved by the President of the United States on 13 June 1922.
- Clause: “THIS CERTIFIES THAT THERE HAVE BEEN DEPOSITED IN THE TREASURY OF THE PHILIPPINES / FIVE PESOS / PAYABLE TO THE BEARER ON DEMAND IN SILVER PESOS OR IN LEGAL TENDER CURRENCY OF THE UNITED STATES OF EQUIVALENT VALUE”.
- Seal: blue Commonwealth of the Philippines / United States of America seal, overlapping Dewey’s portrait.
- Serials: F00618071 in blue ink, repeated; “VICTORY SERIES NO. 66” also in the lower-right quadrant.
- Signatures: S. Osmeña, titled President; Jaime Hernandez, titled Auditor General.
- Reverse: ochre / gold with “FIVE PESOS”, a large 5 at each side and a Roman V at top; black “VICTORY” overprint across the width. No red Central Bank overprint.
- Color: black face on light paper, with blue seal and serials; ochre-gold reverse.
Notes
1. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas — English Series / demonetized notes (opens in a new tab): liberation forces brought Victory Series No. 66 in 1944; after the Central Bank (1949) those denominations were overprinted “Central Bank of the Philippines” and remained legal tender until 30 July 1964.
2. BSP — History of Philippine Money (opens in a new tab): the Commonwealth peso was tied to the dollar at 2:1; after sovereignty was recovered, Treasury certificates overprinted “Victory” were used.
3. Bank Note Museum — Philippines P-96 (opens in a new tab): 5 pesos, Treasury of the Philippines, series 66 (1944), VICTORY overprint; portraits of McKinley and Dewey.
4. Bank Note Museum P-119 (opens in a new tab): ND (1949); red CENTRAL BANK OF THE PHILIPPINES overprint on Pick 96; 119a thick lettering and 119b thin. Not this specimen.
5. Numista — 5 Pesos (Victory) (opens in a new tab): 161.9 × 67.4 mm; Pick 96a, print run 17,355,000; also 96r (star) and 96s (specimen). Secondary catalog figures.
6. Guerrilla Money — Victory Series (opens in a new tab): BEP delivery table; 5 pesos McKinley and Dewey, Osmeña–Hernandez, 17,355,000. Roxas does not appear on the 1, 5, or 10 pesos. Not a first-hand BEP document.
7. numismatics.ph — 5 Pesos Osmeña–Hernandez (opens in a new tab): 161.9 × 67.4 mm; 17,355,000; serials F00000001–F22500000; legal tender until 30 July 1964 and exchange until 30 July 1967. Secondary source.
8. numismatics.ph — Victory Series No. 66 (opens in a new tab): attributes “66” to the BEP; Leyte landing on 20 October 1944; series face total ₱1,019,544,000. Secondary source.