1896 Cuba 5 Pesos Banknote – Banco Español de la Isla de Cuba – Red PLATA Overprint – Spanish Colonial Currency

Original 1896 Cuban 5 Pesos banknote issued by El Banco Español de la Isla de Cuba during the final years of Spanish colonial rule.

Dated Habana, 15 de Mayo de 1896, this impressive large-format banknote was printed in New York by the renowned American Bank Note Company and features exceptionally elaborate late-19th-century engraving.

The obverse depicts a seated allegorical female figure with maritime imagery and ships in the background, surrounded by ornate engraving and the denomination 5 Pesos.

The reverse features the crowned Spanish coat of arms surrounded by elaborate guilloché engraving. Most importantly, this example bears the large diagonal PLATA overprint in red, identifying it as the variety cataloged as Pick P-48b.

Issued only two years before the end of Spanish colonial rule in Cuba, this banknote is an appealing piece of both Cuban and Spanish colonial history.

Details: Country: Cuba; issuer: El Banco Español de la Isla de Cuba; denomination: 5 Pesos; date: May 15, 1896; serial number: 0550552; catalog number: P-48b; printer: American Bank Note Co., New York; and variety: red PLATA overprint on reverse. The American Bank Note Company attribution and P-48b classification are confirmed by numismatic references.

Condition: Circulated antique condition with visible center fold, handling, age toning, staining and other signs of use consistent with its age. The note remains complete with strong printed detail and attractive original coloration. Please carefully examine all photographs, which show the exact banknote being offered and form an important part of the condition description.

An excellent collectible for Cuban history, Spanish colonial, antique currency, and world paper-money collections.