1875 100-peseta bill: what it is and what to do if you have one

If you have in front of you a banknote that reads EL BANCO DE ESPAÑA, 100 PESETAS, and the date January 1, 1875, this is what you have: the banknote cataloged as Pick-8 and Edifil 266.

It is part of the January 1, 1875 issue: the so-called English issue, the only one from the 19th-century series commissioned from two London engraving houses.

Here you will find who or what appears on it, how to distinguish it from those that look like it, how to check if yours is original, and what to do if you want to sell it. You won't find prices: I explain why below.

What the scene on the obverse represents

The obverse is occupied by female allegorical portraits with floral and geometric borders, with no identifiable historical figures. The centerpiece is on the reverse: the goddess Athena on both sides, in grey-violet.

Athena—wisdom, strategy, applied arts—was the obvious choice for an issuing bank that wanted to project prudence. It is a motif that the Banco de España would repeat in the 1878 issue, on the 500 pesetas of Pablo de Céspedes.

Banknote fact sheet

Face value	100 pesetas
Banknote date	January 1, 1875
Pick catalog	P-8
Edifil catalog	266
Printer	Bradbury Wilkinson & Co. and J. H. Sanders, London
Print run	250,000 copies
Dimensions	191 × 90 mm
Put into circulation	—
Obverse	Female allegorical portraits with floral and geometric designs
Reverse	Grey-violet print with the goddess Athena on both sides and the value "100"

How to know if yours is original

It is important to know this first and foremost, because there are far more reproductions than originals of Spanish banknotes from this period in circulation: collector sheets from the seventies and eighties, catalog facsimiles, and press reprints.

The 1875 issue is the only one commissioned from London: it was engraved by Bradbury Wilkinson & Co. and J. H. Sanders, two top-tier British houses. This gives these banknotes a recognizable look:

• English strokes. The allegorical engraving is finer and denser than that of banknotes made in Madrid. With a magnifying glass, you can see a continuous line, never dots.
• Combination of techniques: intaglio, typography, and lithography on the same piece, with very clean color overlapping.
• Relief to the touch in the intaglio areas.
• Watermark formed in the paper pulp, visible when held up to the light and not printed.

Specific checks for this banknote

• Measure it. This banknote measures 191 × 90 mm. Photographic copies almost always lose two or three millimeters, so a ruler settles many doubts in ten seconds.
• Check the exact motif. On the obverse — female allegorical portraits with floral and geometric designs. On the reverse — grey-violet print with the goddess Athena on both sides and the value "100".
• Keep the print run in mind. 250,000 copies were printed, but that was over 140 years ago, and the vast majority were withdrawn and destroyed.

I will confirm it for you for free. If it turns out to be a reproduction, I will tell you just the same: I gain nothing by making you believe otherwise.

Original or facsimile? I'll tell you today, no strings attached
WhatsApp +34 644 54 98 79
info@iberoamericanabanknotes.com

What makes it worth more or less

For this banknote, as with the entire 19th-century series, condition is king, and repairs come in a close second: a specimen that has been washed, ironed, has glued tears, or trimmed margins loses a great deal of value, even if "it looks better."

I do not publish price ranges, and here is why: value depends entirely on the specific specimen, and that cannot fit into a table. A generic figure from the internet is only good for ending up disappointed. Send me photos and I will value your banknote, not "one like yours."

And before showing it to anyone: do not iron it, do not wash it, do not stick anything with tape, and do not put it in soft PVC. All four things are irreversible. I explain this in detail in the guide to selling old banknotes.

How I buy from you

You send me photos via WhatsApp — obverse, reverse, a detail of the serial number, and one held up to the light — and I will reply in less than 24 hours telling you what you have and, if I am interested, with a firm offer. I pay for shipping, and I transfer the funds the same day I receive and verify the piece; if it does not match the photos, I will return it to you at my own shipping expense.

I am Fran, from Iberoamericana Banknotes, a PMG authorized dealer. I can also value it for insurance or inheritance purposes only, without selling it, and I can manage the grading by PMG or consignment for you.

I buy throughout Spain, wherever you live, and the process is always this. If you are nearby, in any municipality in Asturias, I will come to see it at your home at no cost, and you can also bring it to my shop in Gijon, at Calle Cabrales 77, by appointment.

Frequently asked questions

What appears on the 100 pesetas banknote from 1875?
It does not feature any historical figure. On the obverse — female allegorical portraits with floral and geometric designs. On the reverse — grey-violet print with the goddess Athena on both sides and the value "100".

How many were printed?
The print run was 250,000 copies. Beware of a common misconception: a high print run in the 19th century does not mean that many remain today. These banknotes were systematically withdrawn and destroyed, and what counts is how many survive, not how many were made.

How do I know if mine is original or a reproduction?
The quickest way: look at the portrait with a magnifying glass (continuous engraved line in an original, dotted pattern in a copy) and run your finger over the letters looking for relief. If you have doubts, send me photos and I will tell you for free, even if it turns out to be a facsimile.

How much is the 1875 100 pesetas banknote worth?
It depends entirely on the specimen: condition, margins, and any repairs move the price drastically. I do not give figures blindly because they would not be honest. With photos, I can tell you what yours is worth in less than 24 hours.

Do you buy it even if it is circulated or has defects?
Yes, provided it is original and not restored. For banknotes of this era, honest circulation is not a problem; what really penalizes it is repair work.

The other banknotes in this issue

• 25 pesetas banknote from 1875 — the farm woman and Mercury
• 50 pesetas banknote from 1875 — the allegories of commerce
• 500 pesetas banknote from 1875 — the female allegories
• 1000 pesetas banknote from 1875 — the allegorical medallions

Other 100 pesetas banknotes from the Banco de España

If you are not quite sure which one is yours, compare it with these: they are all 100 pesetas but from different issues.

• 100 pesetas banknote from 1874 — Juan de Herrera
• 100 pesetas banknote from 1876 — Lope de Vega
• 100 pesetas banknote from 1878 — Garcilaso de la Vega
• 100 pesetas banknote from 1880 — Quevedo
• 100 pesetas banknote from 1884 (January issue) — Mendizábal
• 100 pesetas banknote from 1884 (July issue) — Alejandro Mon
• 100 pesetas banknote from 1886 — Goya
• 100 pesetas banknote from 1889 — Goya (second issue)
• 100 pesetas banknote from 1893 — Jovellanos
• 100 pesetas banknote from 1898 — Jovellanos
• 100 pesetas banknote from 1900 — Quevedo
• 100 pesetas banknote from 1903 — "the stoker"
• 100 pesetas banknote from 1906 — the allegories with the lyre
• 100 pesetas banknote from 1907 — the Cathedral of Seville
• 100 pesetas banknote from 1925 — Philip II
• 100 pesetas banknote from 1928 — Cervantes
• 100 pesetas banknote from 1936 — the cathedral of Burgos
• 100 pesetas banknote from 1937 — General Castaños (the one that never circulated)
• 100 pesetas banknote from 1938 — the Lady of Elche
• 100 pesetas banknote from 1946 — Goya

General guide: selling old Banco de España banknotes. If you also have pesetas from other eras, here is which peseta banknotes and coins have value.

Send me a photo of the obverse and one of the reverse and I'll tell you today what you have.
WhatsApp +34 644 54 98 79