Bank of Guatemala
Two polymer banknotes: 1 Quetzal (2007) and 5 Quetzales (2011)
1 Quetzal · 2007
General José María Orellana · Bank of Guatemala Building
Historical and Issue Context
A tribute to the father of the Quetzal:General José María Orellana (1872–1926), president of Guatemala, led the monetary reform that established the Quetzal as the national currency in 1924 through Legislative Decree 897, replacing the Guatemalan peso and founding the country's first central bank; His portrait presides over this bill that bears his currency name.1
Key Details Visible on the Banknote
- Obverse:portrait of General José María Orellana; at upper left, a quetzal in flight with its plumage spread.
- Reverse:the facade of the main building of the Bank of Guatemala, in the Civic Center of Guatemala City; On the left, an illustration inspired by Mayan art (the “Leyden Plate”), and on the right an openwork reproduction of the original coin medal.
- Rhomboid transparent window:Clean geometric design opening on the left edge of the obverse, with subtle optical lines.
- Optically Variable Device (OVD):reflective metallic patch with Guatemala's national coat of arms at the upper right.
- Optically variable magnetic ink (OVMI):The central numeral “1” changes brightness and hue depending on the viewing angle.
- Color:emerald green, olive green and multicolored gray undertones.
5 Quetzales · 2011
General Justo Rufino Barrios · Tribute to Primary Education
Historical and Issue Context
The Reformer and public education:General Justo Rufino Barrios (1835–1885), known as “The Reformer” and promoter of the Central American Union, decreed in 1875 free, secular and compulsory primary education in Guatemala —The reverse of this bill pays direct tribute to that educational legacy with the legend that remembers the decree.2
Key Details Visible on the Banknote
- Obverse:portrait of General Justo Rufino Barrios against an intricate guilloché background, with a vignette of the national quetzal flying to the left.
- Reverse:elementary school classroom scene, with a teacher teaching three students next to a blackboard and alphabets; The lower legend recalls: “General Justo Rufino Barrios established free, secular, and compulsory primary education”.
- Book-shaped polymer window:fully transparent opening to the right of the obverse, with the silhouette of an open book engraved in matte optical relief.
- Translucent Perfect Register:Mayan medallion with an indigenous face that matches with millimetric precision on both sides when illuminated.
- OVD metal bands:Details in bright and iridescent inks in the area of the coat of arms that change color depending on the inclination.
- Color:purple, purple, terracotta and yellow multicolor.
Notes
1. Bank of Guatemala, “History of Currency in Guatemala”,banguat.gob.gt: the Quetzal was instituted as a monetary unit by Legislative Decree 897 of 1924, under the presidency of General José María Orellana, replacing the Guatemalan peso.
2. Ministry of Education of Guatemala / national historiography: the Governmental Decree of 1875, under the government of General Justo Rufino Barrios, established public, free and compulsory primary education in the country.
