1884 1000-peseta banknote (July issue): 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, 1000 PESETAS, and the date July 1, 1884, here is what you have: the banknote cataloged as Pick-33 and Edifil 291.

It is part of the July 1, 1884 issue: authorized on July 7, 1884, to circulate alongside the January issue due to the increased demand for banknotes, and dedicated entirely to Ministers of Finance and administrative reformers.

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: I explain why further down.

The Marquis of Ensenada: who is the face on this banknote

Zenón de Somodevilla y Bengoechea, 1st Marquis of Ensenada (Hervias, La Rioja, 1702 - Medina del Campo, 1781), was a minister under Ferdinand VI and the man who attempted to modernize Spain through data: the Catastro de Ensenada is his, the house-by-house inventory of the Crown of Castile that remains the best X-ray of 18th-century Spain in existence.

He also rebuilt the Navy and its arsenals. The banknote is accompanied by two female allegorical figures representing farmers: the minister of the cadastre alongside those who were surveyed in it. It is the highest denomination of the Bank of Spain’s last 19th-century issue.

Banknote fact sheet

Face value 1000 pesetas
Banknote date July 1, 1884
Pick catalog P-33
Edifil catalog 291
Printer Bank of Spain workshop, Madrid
Print run 150,000 copies
Dimensions 166 × 104 mm
Placed in circulation July 1892
Obverse Bust of Zenón de Somodevilla, 1st Marquis of Ensenada, next to two female allegorical figures representing farmers
Reverse Green print on ochre background with "1000 PESETAS" between geometric designs

How to know if yours is original

It is worth knowing this first of all, because far more reproductions than originals circulate for Spanish banknotes of this period: collector's prints from the 1970s and 80s, catalog facsimiles, and press reprints.

This banknote was engraved and printed in the Bank of Spain workshop in Madrid, using intaglio technique on cotton fiber paper. That leaves specific marks that a modern reproduction does not have:

  • Relief to the touch. Run your fingertip over the portrait, the numbers, and the title letters: on an original, you can feel the raised ink. An offset-printed facsimile is completely flat.
  • Engraved lines, not a screen. With a 10x 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 pulp. When held up to the light, it must appear formed within the paper, not printed on top.
  • Cotton fiber paper, rough and sonorous when shaken. Modern coated paper is smooth and cold.

Specific checks for this banknote

  • Measure it. This banknote measures 166 × 104 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 — bust of Zenón de Somodevilla, 1st Marquis of Ensenada, next to two female allegorical figures representing farmers. On the reverse — green print on ochre background with "1000 PESETAS" between geometric designs.
  • Keep the print run in mind. 150,000 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 will tell you today, 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 rules, followed closely by repairs: a washed, ironed, taped, or trimmed-margin copy loses a great deal, 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 does not fit in a table. A generic number 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 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 numbering, 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 payment 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 cost.

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

You do not need to live nearby: I buy all over Spain using this same system. And if you are in Asturias, I can come to your home without charging for the visit, or we can look at it in my Gijón store, at Calle Cabrales 77, by appointment.

Frequently asked questions

Who is on the 1000 peseta banknote from 1884?
The Marquis of Ensenada. On the obverse — bust of Zenón de Somodevilla, 1st Marquis of Ensenada, next to two female allegorical figures representing farmers.

How many were printed?
The print run was 150,000 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 an original or a reproduction?
The fastest way: look at the portrait with a magnifying glass (continuous engraved line on an original, dot screen on 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 1000 peseta banknote from 1884 worth?
It depends entirely on the specimen: condition, margins, and any repairs change the price drastically. I do not give numbers 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 has not been restored. For banknotes of this period, honest circulation is not a problem; what really penalizes it is the repair work.

The other banknotes of this issue

Other 1000 peseta banknotes from the Bank of Spain

If you are not quite sure which one is yours, compare it with these: they are all 1000 pesetas but from different issues.

General guide: selling old Bank of Spain 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 will tell you today what you have.
WhatsApp +34 644 54 98 79

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