1898 100-peseta banknote: what it is and what to do if you have one
If you have a banknote in front of you that reads EL BANCO DE ESPAÑA, 100 PESETAS, and the date June 24, 1898, this is what you have: the banknote cataloged as Pick-48.
It is part of the 1898 issue, the second dedicated to Jovellanos: two banknotes, of 50 and 100 pesetas, dated 1898, the year of the war with the United States. They utilize much of the design from the 1893 series, so it is best not to confuse them.
Here you will find who or what appears on it, how to distinguish it from similar ones, how to check if yours is an original, and what to do if you want to sell it. You will not find prices here: I explain why below.
Jovellanos: who is the face on this banknote
Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos (Gijón, 1744 - Puerto de Vega, Navia, 1811), the great Asturian Enlightenment figure: jurist, writer, reformer, and Minister of Grace and Justice under Charles IV. In Gijón, he founded the Royal Asturian Institute of Nautical Science and Mineralogy, and his name remains on streets, squares, and institutes throughout Asturias. If you are from here, this banknote has special interest.
On the obverse, in black and dark blue, appear the bust of Jovellanos and an allegorical child with a caduceus and winged helmet, representing commerce. On the reverse, in light brown, a laurel-wreathed male head, a woman with a mirror, a cherub with a torch, and two lions. The reverse was engraved by Bartolomé Maura.
Banknote fact sheet
| Face value | 100 pesetas |
|---|---|
| Banknote date | June 24, 1898 |
| Pick catalog | P-48 |
| Printer | Banco de España workshop, Madrid |
| Reverse engraver | Bartolomé Maura |
| Print run | 2,000,000 copies |
| Dimensions | 137 × 83 mm |
| Watermark | Profile head of Apollo and "100 P" |
| Signatures | Manuel de Eguilior, José Gurumeta, and Fernando Pérez Casariego |
| Obverse | Bust of Jovellanos and allegorical child with caduceus and winged helmet |
| Reverse | Laurel-wreathed male head, woman with a mirror, cherub with a torch, and two lions, in light brown |
How to know if yours is an original
It is important to know this first and foremost, because far more reproductions than originals circulate for Spanish banknotes of this era: collector 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 quality paper. This leaves specific marks that a modern reproduction does not have:
- Relief to the touch. Run your fingertip over the design, the figures, and the letters of the title: on an original, you can feel the raised ink. An offset-printed facsimile is completely flat.
- Engraved line, not halftone. With a ten-times magnifying glass, the original engraving resolves into fine, continuous lines. If you see a dot matrix, it is a modern print.
- Watermark within the paper pulp. When held up to the light, the watermark should appear formed within the paper, not printed on top.
- Banknote paper, not photocopy paper. The original is durable, substantial paper that makes a sound when shaken. Modern coated paper is smooth and cold.
Specific checks for this banknote
- Measure it. This banknote measures 137 × 83 mm. Photographic copies almost always lose two or three millimeters, so a ruler resolves many doubts in ten seconds.
- Check the exact motif. On the obverse — the bust of Jovellanos and a child with a caduceus and winged helmet. On the reverse — a woman with a mirror, a cherub with a torch, and two lions.
- Look for the head of Apollo. When held up to the light, the profile head of Apollo and the banknote value should appear formed within the paper.
- Do not confuse it with the 1893 one. The 100 pesetas banknote of 1893 shares much of the obverse, but it features a laurel-wreathed female portrait on the right, and on the back, two male heads in profile instead of the lions.
- Keep the print run in mind. 2,000,000 copies were printed, but that was over 120 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 regardless: 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
Condition is king. It is a high-denomination banknote for its time, and those that appear are usually folded and worn. A clean one with no repairs is very different from one that is heavily used.
I do not publish price ranges, and here is why: value depends entirely on the specific specimen, and that does not fit in a table. A generic figure from the internet only leads to disappointment. Send me photos and I will appraise 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 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 money the same day I receive and verify the piece; if it does not match the photos, I will return it to you and I will pay for the return postage.
I am Fran, from Iberoamericana Banknotes, an authorized PMG dealer. I can also appraise it just for insurance or inheritance purposes, without selling anything, and I can manage the grading by PMG or consignment for you.
It does not matter where you live: I buy throughout Spain and the process is the same. If you are in Asturias, I can even come to your home to see it at no cost, or we can look at it calmly in my shop in Gijón, at Calle Cabrales 77, by appointment.
Frequently asked questions
Who is on the 100 pesetas banknote of 1898?
Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos, along with an allegorical child with a caduceus and a winged helmet. On the reverse appear a woman with a mirror, a cherub with a torch, and two lions.
How many were printed?
2,000,000 copies were printed, but that was over 120 years ago and the vast majority were withdrawn and destroyed.
How do I know if mine is an original or a reproduction?
The fastest way: look at the design with a magnifying glass (engraved continuous line in an original, dot matrix 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 100 pesetas banknote of 1898 worth?
It depends entirely on the specimen: condition, margins, and any repairs move the price drastically. I do not give numbers blindly because it would not be honest. With photos, I will 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 an original and not restored. For banknotes of this era, honest circulation is not a problem; what truly penalizes the value is repairs.
How do I distinguish it from the 1893 one?
They share much of the obverse. The 1898 one features a child with a caduceus and winged helmet on the right, and two lions on the reverse; the 1893 one features a laurel-wreathed female portrait and, on the back, two male heads.
The other banknotes from this issue
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 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 1880 — Quevedo
- 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 1900 — Quevedo
- 100 pesetas banknote of 1903 — "the stoker"
- 100 pesetas banknote of 1906 — 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 — Lady of Elche
- 100 pesetas banknote of 1946 — Goya
General guide: selling old Banco de España banknotes. If you have more pesetas kept at home, see which peseta banknotes and coins have value.
Send me a photo of the obverse and another of the reverse and I will tell you today what you have.
WhatsApp +34 644 54 98 79