1880 100-peseta banknote: 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 April 1, 1880, this is what you have: the banknote cataloged as Pick-21 and Edifil 278.

It is part of the April 1, 1880 issue: four denominations engraved in Madrid, featuring painters and writers on the obverse.

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 an original, and what to do if you want to sell it. You won't find prices here: I'll explain why below.

Francisco de Quevedo: who is the face on this banknote

Francisco de Quevedo y Villegas (Madrid, 1580 - Villanueva de los Infantes, 1645) was a poet, novelist, politician, and polemicist, and equally ferocious in all those facets. He wrote some of the most intense love sonnets in the Spanish language and, with the same pen, satires that cost him prison and exile.

His appearance on the 100 pesetas of 1880 is another point where it is worth being precise, because there is a lot of misinformation circulating: the 100 pesetas of 1880 features Quevedo, not Calderón de la Barca, who corresponds to the 50 pesetas of 1878. If your banknote features Calderón, it is not from 1880.

Banknote factsheet

Face value	100 pesetas
Date of issue	April 1, 1880
Pick Catalog	P-21
Edifil Catalog	278
Printer	Banco de España workshop, Madrid
Print run	1,200,000 copies
Dimensions	170 × 80 mm
Put into circulation	October 1883
Obverse	Portrait of Francisco de Quevedo next to an allegorical female figure
Reverse	Geometric designs with the legend "CIEN 100 PESETAS"
Signatures	Martín Belda y Mencía del Barrio, Teodoro Rubio Castellanos, and Fernando Pérez Casariego

How to know if yours is an original

It is worth knowing this first of all, because there are many more reproductions than originals circulating of Spanish banknotes from this era: collector's prints from the seventies and eighties, catalog facsimiles, and press reprints.

This banknote was engraved and printed in the Banco de España workshop in Madrid, using intaglio technique on linen paper. That leaves specific marks that a modern reproduction does not have:

• Relief to the touch. Run your fingertip over the portrait, the figures, and the letters of the title: on an original, you can feel the raised ink. A facsimile printed in offset is completely flat.
• Engraved line, not screening. With a ten-power magnifying glass, the original portrait is resolved into fine, continuous lines. If you see a grid of dots, it is a modern print.
• Watermark in the paper pulp. When held up to the light, it should appear formed within the paper, not printed on top.
• Cotton linen paper, rough and crisp when shaken. Modern coated paper is smooth and cold.

Specific checks for this banknote

• Measure it. This banknote measures 170 × 80 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 — portrait of Francisco de Quevedo next to an allegorical female figure. On the reverse — geometric designs with the legend "CIEN 100 PESETAS".
• Look at the three signatures. On this banknote, they correspond to Martín Belda y Mencía del Barrio, Teodoro Rubio Castellanos, and Fernando Pérez Casariego. A signature that does not match points to another issue or a reproduction.
• Keep the print run in mind. 1,200,000 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 can tell you today, no obligation
WhatsApp +34 644 54 98 79
info@iberoamericanabanknotes.com

What makes it worth more or less

On this banknote, as in the entire 19th-century series, preservation reigns supreme, followed by repairs: a specimen that has been washed, ironed, has taped tears, or trimmed margins loses a great deal of value, even if it "looks better."

I do not publish price ranges, and I will explain why: the value depends entirely on the specific specimen, and that cannot fit into a table. A generic figure from the internet only serves to cause 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 it 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 payment the same day I receive and verify the item; if it does not match the photos, I will send it back to you at my own expense.

I'm Fran, from Iberoamericana Banknotes, an authorized PMG dealer. I can also value it just for insurance or inheritance purposes, without selling anything, and I can manage the PMG grading or consignment for you.

I buy all over Spain, wherever you live, and the process is always the same. If you are nearby, in any council in Asturias, I will go to see it at your home at no cost, and you can also bring it to my shop in Gijón, on Calle Cabrales 77, by appointment.

Frequently asked questions

Who is on the 100 pesetas banknote of 1880?
Francisco de Quevedo. On the obverse — portrait of Francisco de Quevedo next to an allegorical female figure.

How many were printed?
The print run was 1,200,000 copies. Be careful with a common confusion: 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 fastest way: look at the portrait with a magnifying glass (continuous engraved line for an original, screened dots 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 100 pesetas banknote of 1880 worth?
It depends entirely on the specimen: the preservation, margins, and any repairs move the price drastically. I do not give blind figures 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, as long as it is an original and has not been restored. For banknotes from this era, honest circulation is not a problem; what truly penalizes the value is repairs.

The other banknotes in this issue

• 50 pesetas banknote of 1880 — Campomanes
• 500 pesetas banknote of 1880 — Claudio Coello
• 1000 pesetas banknote of 1880 — Murillo

Other 100 pesetas banknotes from the Banco de España

If you aren't sure which one you have, compare it with these: they are all 100 pesetas but from different issues.

• 100 pesetas banknote of 1874 — Juan de Herrera
• 100 pesetas banknote of 1875 — Athena
• 100 pesetas banknote of 1876 — Lope de Vega
• 100 pesetas banknote of 1878 — Garcilaso de la Vega
• 100 pesetas banknote of 1884 (January issue) — Mendizábal
• 100 pesetas banknote of 1884 (July issue) — Alejandro Mon
• 100 pesetas banknote of 1886 — Goya
• 100 pesetas banknote of 1889 — Goya (second issue)
• 100 pesetas banknote of 1893 — Jovellanos
• 100 pesetas banknote of 1898 — Jovellanos
• 100 pesetas banknote of 1900 — Quevedo
• 100 pesetas banknote of 1903 — "el fogonero"
• 100 pesetas banknote of 1906 — the allegories with the lyre
• 100 pesetas banknote of 1907 — Seville Cathedral
• 100 pesetas banknote of 1925 — Philip II
• 100 pesetas banknote of 1928 — Cervantes
• 100 pesetas banknote of 1936 — Burgos Cathedral
• 100 pesetas banknote of 1937 — General Castaños (the one that never circulated)
• 100 pesetas banknote of 1938 — Dama de Elche
• 100 pesetas banknote of 1946 — Goya

General guide: selling old Banco de España 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 today what you have.
WhatsApp +34 644 54 98 79