1875 25-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, 25 PESETAS, and the date January 1, 1875, this is what you have: the banknote cataloged as Pick-6 and Edifil 264.

It is part of the January 1, 1875 issue: the so-called English issue, the only one of the 19th-century series commissioned from two London engraving firms.

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 original, and what to do if you want to sell it. You won't find prices: I explain why further down.

What the scene on the obverse represents

This banknote does not feature a historical portrait, but rather a drawn economic program. On the obverse is a farmworker with a sickle and wheat stalks, beehives at the top, and a caduceus in a commercial port: agriculture, industrious enterprise, and trade—the three pillars with which Spain in 1875 wanted to view itself.

The reverse rounds off the idea with busts of winged Mercury, the god of trade and profit. It is one of the most legible banknotes in the entire series as a declaration of intent.

Banknote fact sheet

Face value	25 pesetas
Banknote date	January 1, 1875
Pick catalog	P-6
Edifil catalog	264
Printer	Bradbury Wilkinson & Co. and J. H. Sanders, London
Print run	1,000,000 copies
Dimensions	138 × 84 mm
Put into circulation	—
Obverse	Farmworker with sickle and wheat stalks to the left, beehives at the top, and a caduceus in a commercial port
Reverse	Light green print with busts of winged Mercury with helmet, symbol of trade

How to know if yours is original

It is best to know this first, because far more reproductions than originals of Spanish banknotes from this era are in circulation: collector sheets from the seventies and eighties, catalog facsimiles, and press reprints.

The 1875 issue is the only one commissioned from London: it was engraved by Bradbury Wilkinson & Co. and J. H. Sanders, two top-tier British firms. That gives these banknotes a recognizable look:

• English strokes. The allegorical engraving is finer and denser than those of banknotes made in Madrid. Under a magnifying glass, you see a continuous line, never dots.
• Combination of techniques: intaglio, typography, and lithography on the same piece, with very clean color overlapping.
• Relief to the touch in the intaglio areas.
• Watermark formed in the paper pulp, visible when held to the light and not printed.

Specific checks for this banknote

• Measure it. This banknote measures 138 × 84 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 — farmworker with a sickle and wheat stalks to the left, beehives at the top, and a caduceus in a commercial port. On the reverse — light green print with busts of winged Mercury with helmet, symbol of trade.
• Keep the print run in mind. 1,000,000 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 the same: 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

For this banknote, as with the entire 19th-century series, preservation is king, and right behind it are repairs: a washed, pressed specimen with taped tears or trimmed margins loses a great deal, even if it "looks better."

I do not publish price ranges, and here is why: the value depends entirely on the specific specimen, and that cannot 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 tape anything, and do not put it in soft PVC. All four are irreversible. I explain this in detail in the guide to selling old banknotes.

How I buy 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 respond 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 pay for the return postage.

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

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

Frequently asked questions

What appears on the 25 pesetas banknote of 1875?
It does not carry any historical character. On the obverse — farmworker with a sickle and wheat stalks to the left, beehives at the top, and a caduceus in a commercial port. On the reverse — light green print with busts of winged Mercury with helmet, symbol of trade.

How many were printed?
The print run was 1,000,000 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 on an original, dot matrix 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 25 pesetas banknote of 1875 worth?
It depends entirely on the specimen: preservation, margins, and any repair change the price drastically. I do not give figures 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 not restored. In banknotes from this era, honest circulation is not a problem; what really penalizes value is repair.

The other banknotes in this issue

• 50 pesetas banknote of 1875 — allegories of trade
• 100 pesetas banknote of 1875 — Athena
• 500 pesetas banknote of 1875 — female allegories
• 1000 pesetas banknote of 1875 — allegorical medallions

Other 25 pesetas banknotes from the Banco de España

If you aren't sure which one is yours, compare it with these: they are all 25 pesetas but from different issues.

• 25 pesetas banknote of 1874 — children carrying baskets
• 25 pesetas banknote of 1884 (January issue) — geography lesson
• 25 pesetas banknote of 1884 (July issue) — Santillán
• 25 pesetas banknote of 1886 — Goya
• 25 pesetas banknote of 1889 — Goya (second issue)
• 25 pesetas banknote of 1893 — Jovellanos
• 25 pesetas banknote of 1899 — Quevedo
• 25 pesetas banknote of 1904 — the banknote that did not circulate
• 25 pesetas banknote of 1906 — the seated allegory
• 25 pesetas banknote of 1907 — the Alhambra
• 25 pesetas banknote of 1908 — Quintana (the one that never circulated)
• 25 pesetas banknote of 1926 — Saint Francis Xavier
• 25 pesetas banknote of 1928 — Calderón de la Barca
• 25 pesetas banknote of 1936 — Joaquín Sorolla
• 25 pesetas banknote of 1937 — Columbus (the one that never circulated)
• 25 pesetas banknote of 1938 — the Giralda (Burgos)
• 25 pesetas banknote of 1940 — Juan de Herrera

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 one of the reverse and I'll tell you today what you have.
WhatsApp +34 644 54 98 79