1876 100-peseta bill: what it is and what to do if you have one
If you are holding a banknote in front of you that reads EL BANCO DE ESPAÑA, 100 PESETAS, and the date July 1, 1876, this is what you have: the banknote cataloged as Pick-11 and Edifil 269.
It is part of the July 1, 1876 issue: the first Spanish series commissioned from the American Bank Note Company, dedicated entirely to Lope de Vega.
Here you will find who or what appears on it, how to distinguish it from those that look similar, how to check if yours is an original, and what to do if you want to sell it. You won't find prices here: I explain why below.
Lope de Vega: who is the face on this banknote
Félix Lope de Vega y Carpio (Madrid, 1562 - 1635) wrote so much that Cervantes called him a "monster of nature," and it wasn't entirely a compliment. Hundreds of comedies are attributed to him; he practically invented Spanish commercial theater and lived a private life turbulent enough to fill just as many.
The 1876 issue is the only one of the entire 19th-century series dedicated entirely to a single figure: Lope appears on all three denominations. It was also the first Spanish series commissioned from the American Bank Note Company of New York, and the contrast is striking: the most Spanish of authors, engraved in the United States.
Banknote Details
| Face value | 100 pesetas |
|---|---|
| Banknote date | July 1, 1876 |
| Pick Catalog | P-11 |
| Edifil Catalog | 269 |
| Printer | American Bank Note Company (United States) |
| Mintage | 750,000 copies |
| Dimensions | 171 × 78 mm |
| Issued | February 1883 |
| Obverse | Lope de Vega facing right, accompanied by a woman with three children and another next to the coat of arms of Spain with wheat stalks |
| Reverse | Ships on the sides and an allegorical female figure in the center |
How to know if yours is an original
It is worth knowing this first and foremost, because there are many more reproductions than originals of Spanish banknotes from this period in circulation: collector prints from the seventies and eighties, catalog facsimiles, and press reprints.
This banknote was engraved by the American Bank Note Company, the New York firm that printed a good portion of the world's paper money at the time. Their work is the easiest to distinguish from the rest of the series because its quality is far superior:
- Engraved in extremely fine-line steel. With a magnifying glass, the lines of the portrait are sharp and continuous, never a dot pattern.
- Guilloche backgrounds with continuous tracing, generated by geometric machinery. They are practically impossible to reproduce well in a photographic copy: in a facsimile, they appear blurred or with moiré.
- Printer's mark of the American Bank Note Company, usually on the bottom edge. Take a photo of it: it's one of the first things I look at.
- Intaglio relief perceptible to the touch on the portrait, numbers, and letters.
Specific checks for this banknote
- Measure it. This banknote measures 171 × 78 mm. Photographic copies almost always lose two or three millimeters, so a ruler settles many doubts in ten seconds.
- Check the exact design. On the obverse — Lope de Vega facing right, accompanied by a woman with three children and another next to the coat of arms of Spain with wheat stalks. On the reverse — ships on the sides and an allegorical female figure in the center.
- Keep the mintage in mind. 750,000 copies were printed, but that was over 140 years ago and the vast majority were withdrawn and destroyed.
I can 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 can tell you today, with no obligation
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 key, followed closely by repairs: a washed or ironed specimen, or one with taped tears or trimmed margins, loses a great deal of value, even if it "looks better."
I do not publish price ranges, and I'll explain why: the value depends entirely on the specific specimen, and that cannot fit in a table. A generic number from the internet only leads to disappointment. 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 tape anything, and do not put it in soft PVC. All four things are irreversible. I explain this in detail in my guide to selling old banknotes.
How I buy them from you
You send me photos via WhatsApp—obverse, reverse, a detail of the serial number, and one against the light—and I will reply in less than 24 hours telling you what you have and, if I am interested, providing a firm offer. I pay for the shipping, and I transfer the funds the same day I receive and verify the piece; if it doesn't match the photos, I will return it and pay for the return shipping.
I am Fran, from Iberoamericana Banknotes, an authorized PMG dealer. I can also provide a valuation for insurance or inheritance purposes without purchasing, and I can manage the PMG grading or consignment for you.
It doesn't matter where you live: I buy throughout Spain and the process is the same. If you are in Asturias, I can also come to see it at your home at no cost, or we can look at it calmly at my shop in Gijón, at Calle Cabrales 77, by appointment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is on the 1876 100 pesetas banknote?
Lope de Vega. On the obverse — Lope de Vega facing right, accompanied by a woman with three children and another next to the coat of arms of Spain with wheat stalks.
How many were printed?
The mintage was 750,000 copies. Be careful of a common confusion: a high mintage in the 19th century does not mean there are many left 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 an original or a reproduction?
The fastest way: look at the portrait with a magnifying glass (continuous engraved line for an original, dot pattern for a copy) and run your finger over the letters looking for relief. If you have any doubts, send me photos and I will tell you for free, even if it turns out to be a facsimile.
How much is the 1876 100 pesetas banknote worth?
It depends entirely on the specimen: the condition, margins, and any repairs change the price drastically. I do not give numbers blindly because it 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, as long as it is an original and has not been restored. For banknotes from this period, honest circulation is not a problem; what truly penalizes the value is restoration.
The other banknotes from this issue
Other 100 pesetas banknotes from the Bank of Spain
If you aren't sure which one you have, compare it with these: they are all 100 pesetas but from different issues.
- 1874 100 pesetas banknote — Juan de Herrera
- 1875 100 pesetas banknote — Athena
- 1878 100 pesetas banknote — Garcilaso de la Vega
- 1880 100 pesetas banknote — Quevedo
- 1884 100 pesetas banknote (January issue) — Mendizábal
- 1884 100 pesetas banknote (July issue) — Alejandro Mon
- 1886 100 pesetas banknote — Goya
- 1889 100 pesetas banknote — Goya (second issue)
- 1893 100 pesetas banknote — Jovellanos
- 1898 100 pesetas banknote — Jovellanos
- 1900 100 pesetas banknote — Quevedo
- 1903 100 pesetas banknote — "the stoker"
- 1906 100 pesetas banknote — the allegories with the lyre
- 1907 100 pesetas banknote — Seville Cathedral
- 1925 100 pesetas banknote — Philip II
- 1928 100 pesetas banknote — Cervantes
- 1936 100 pesetas banknote — Burgos Cathedral
- 1937 100 pesetas banknote — General Castaños (the one that never circulated)
- 1938 100 pesetas banknote — Dama de Elche
- 1946 100 pesetas banknote — Goya
General guide: selling old Bank of Spain banknotes. And if more pesetas have appeared in the same drawer, I'll tell you which peseta banknotes and coins have value.
Send me a photo of the obverse and another of the reverse and I'll tell you what you have today.
WhatsApp +34 644 54 98 79