1876 1000-peseta banknote: what it is and what to do if you have one
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If you are holding a banknote that reads EL BANCO DE ESPAÑA, 1000 PESETAS and is dated July 1, 1876, this is what you have: the banknote cataloged as Pick-13 and Edifil 271.
It is part of the July 1, 1876 issue: the first Spanish series commissioned to 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 similar ones, how to check if yours is 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 of this banknote
Félix Lope de Vega y Carpio (Madrid, 1562 - 1635) wrote so much that Cervantes called him the "monster of nature," and it wasn't entirely a compliment. He is credited with hundreds of plays, he practically invented Spanish commercial theater, and he lived a private life turbulent enough to fill just as many.
The 1876 issue is the only one in the entire 19th-century series dedicated entirely to a single figure: Lope appears in all three denominations. It was also the first Spanish series commissioned to the American Bank Note Company of New York, and the contrast is striking: the most Spanish of authors, engraved in the United States.
Banknote fact sheet
| Face value | 1000 pesetas |
|---|---|
| Banknote date | July 1, 1876 |
| Pick Catalog | P-13 |
| Edifil Catalog | 271 |
| Printer | American Bank Note Company (United States) |
| Print run | 100,000 copies |
| Dimensions | 180 × 108 mm |
| Put into circulation | February 1884 |
| Obverse | Lope de Vega, an explorer with an indigenous woman, a ship, the crowned coat of arms of Spain, and a female allegory with a cornucopia |
| Reverse | Brown print with allegorical women seated with a gear and sickle, and two standing laureate figures |
A note on this specific banknote. It is printed on thick paper and is one of the Spanish banknotes of which the fewest copies are known.
How to know if yours is original
It is worth knowing this above all else, because far more reproductions than originals of Spanish banknotes from this period are in circulation: collector's plates from the 1970s and 80s, 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. Under a magnifying glass, the lines of the portrait are sharp and continuous, never a dot pattern.
- Guilloche backgrounds with continuous lines, generated by a geometric machine. These are practically impossible to reproduce well in a photographic copy: in a facsimile, they appear blurred or with moiré.
- Printer's imprint of the American Bank Note Company, usually on the bottom edge. Photograph 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 180 × 108 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 — Lope de Vega, an explorer with an indigenous woman, a ship, the crowned coat of arms of Spain, and a female allegory with a cornucopia. On the reverse — brown print with allegorical women seated with a gear and sickle, and two standing laureate figures.
- Keep the print run in mind. 100,000 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 anyway: I gain nothing by making you believe otherwise.
Original or facsimile? I'll tell you today, with no obligation
WhatsApp +34 644 54 98 79
info@iberoamericanabanknotes.com
What makes it worth more or less
With this banknote, as with the entire 19th-century series, condition is king, and right behind it are 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'll explain why: the value depends entirely on the specific specimen, and that doesn't 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 with scotch tape, 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 a backlit shot — 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 the shipping, and I transfer the funds on the same day I receive and verify the piece; if it does not match the photos, I return it and pay for the return shipping.
I'm Fran, from Iberoamericana Banknotes, a PMG authorized dealer. I can also value it for insurance or inheritance purposes only, without buying it, 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 go to your home to see it 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 1000 pesetas banknote from 1876?
Lope de Vega. On the obverse — Lope de Vega, an explorer with an indigenous woman, a ship, the crowned coat of arms of Spain, and a female allegory with a cornucopia.
How many were printed?
The print run was 100,000 copies. Be careful with a common misunderstanding: 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 an original or a reproduction?
The quickest way: look at the portrait with a magnifying glass (continuous engraved line in an original, dot pattern in a copy) and run your finger over the letters looking for relief. If you have doubts, send me photos and I'll tell you for free, even if it turns out to be a facsimile.
How much is the 1000 pesetas banknote from 1876 worth?
It depends entirely on the specimen: the condition, margins, and any repairs move the price drastically. I don't give figures blindly because they wouldn't 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 original and has not been restored. For banknotes from this period, honest circulation is not a problem; what truly penalizes it is repair.
The other banknotes from this issue
Other 1000 pesetas banknotes from the Banco de España
If you aren't sure which one you have, compare it to these: they are all 1000 pesetas but from different issues.
- 1000 pesetas banknote from 1874 — Alonso Cano
- 1000 pesetas banknote from 1875 — the allegorical medallions
- 1000 pesetas banknote from 1878 — Cervantes
- 1000 pesetas banknote from 1880 — Murillo
- 1000 pesetas banknote from 1884 (January issue) — Mendizábal
- 1000 pesetas banknote from 1884 (July issue) — the Marquis of Ensenada
- 1000 pesetas banknote from 1886 — Goya
- 1000 pesetas banknote from 1895 — Cabarrús
- 1000 pesetas banknote from 1907 (May issue) — "the angel"
- 1000 pesetas banknote from 1907 (July issue) — the Royal Palace
- 1000 pesetas banknote from 1925 — Charles I
- 1000 pesetas banknote from 1928 — Ferdinand III the Saint
General guide: selling old Banco de España banknotes. And if more pesetas have turned up in the same drawer, I can 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