1880 50-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, 50 PESETAS, and the date April 1, 1880, this is what you have: the banknote cataloged as Pick-20 and Edifil 277.
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 original, and what to do if you want to sell it. You will not find prices: I explain why below.
The Count of Campomanes: who is the face of this banknote
Pedro Rodríguez de Campomanes (Santa Eulalia de Sorriba, Asturias, 1723 - Madrid, 1802) was a prosecutor for the Council of Castile, president of the same Council, and one of the economic masterminds of the Spanish Enlightenment. He wrote about promoting popular industry and the education of artisans, and he participated in the expulsion of the Jesuits.
His presence marks a turning point: it is the first time the Banco de España featured someone on a banknote for their role in public finance rather than for the arts or letters. What is an exception in 1880 will become the norm in 1884 with Mendizábal, Santillán, or Bravo Murillo. Asturian note: Campomanes was born in the council of Tineo, and he is the first of the two Asturians in the series—the other is Alejandro Mon, on the 100 pesetas of July 1884.
Banknote fact sheet
| Face value | 50 pesetas |
|---|---|
| Banknote date | April 1, 1880 |
| Pick catalog | P-20 |
| Edifil catalog | 277 |
| Printer | Banco de España workshop, Madrid |
| Print run | 1,100,000 copies |
| Dimensions | to be confirmed |
| Put into circulation | October 1883 |
| Obverse | Portrait of Pedro Rodríguez de Campomanes, black print on a red background with black numbering |
| Reverse | Light violet print with floral and geometric designs |
| Signatures | Martín Belda y Mencía del Barrio (governor), Teodoro Rubio Castellanos, and Fernando Pérez Casariego |
How to know if yours is original
It is best to know this first of all, because far more reproductions than originals of Spanish banknotes from this period circulate: 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 thread paper. This leaves specific marks that a modern reproduction does not have:
- Relief to the touch. Run your fingertip over the portrait, the numbers, 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 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 should appear formed within the paper, not printed on top.
- Cotton thread paper, rough and resonant when shaken. Modern coated paper is smooth and cold.
Specific checks for this banknote
- Check the exact design. On the obverse — portrait of Pedro Rodríguez de Campomanes, black print on a red background with black numbering. On the reverse — light violet print with floral and geometric designs.
- Look at the three signatures. On this banknote, they correspond to Martín Belda y Mencía del Barrio (governor), Teodoro Rubio Castellanos, and Fernando Pérez Casariego. A signature that does not match points to a different issue or a reproduction.
- Keep the print run in mind. 1,100,000 copies were printed, but that was more than 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 nineteenth-century series, preservation is king, followed closely by repairs: a copy that has been washed, ironed, with taped tears, or trimmed margins loses a great deal of value, even if "it looks better."
I do not publish price ranges, and I explain why: the value depends entirely on the specific copy, and that does not fit into a table. A generic internet figure only serves to lead to 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 it 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 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 at my expense.
I am Fran, from Iberoamericana Banknotes, an authorized PMG dealer. I also provide valuations for insurance or inheritance purposes, without selling anything, and I can manage PMG grading or consignment for you.
I buy throughout Spain, no matter where you live, and the process is always the same. If you are nearby, in any council in Asturias, I will come 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 50 peseta banknote of 1880?
The Count of Campomanes. On the obverse — portrait of Pedro Rodríguez de Campomanes, black print on a red background with black numbering.
How many were printed?
The print run was 1,100,000 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 withdrawn and destroyed systematically, and what counts is how many survive, not how many were made.
How do I know if mine is original or a reproduction?
The quickest way: look at the portrait with a magnifying glass (continuous engraved line on an original, dot pattern on 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 50 peseta banknote of 1880 worth?
It depends entirely on the copy: preservation, margins, and any repairs move the price drastically. I do not give out 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, provided it is original and has not been restored. For banknotes of this period, honest circulation is not a problem; what truly penalizes is a repair.
The other banknotes in this issue
- 100 peseta banknote of 1880 — Quevedo
- 500 peseta banknote of 1880 — Claudio Coello
- 1000 peseta banknote of 1880 — Murillo
Other 50 peseta banknotes from the Banco de España
If you are not quite sure which one is yours, compare it with these: they are all 50 pesetas but from different issues.
- 50 peseta banknote of 1874 — Rafael Esteve
- 50 peseta banknote of 1875 — allegories of commerce
- 50 peseta banknote of 1878 — Calderón de la Barca
- 50 peseta banknote of 1884 (January issue) — Mendizábal
- 50 peseta banknote of 1884 (July issue) — Bravo Murillo
- 50 peseta banknote of 1886 — Goya
- 50 peseta banknote of 1889 — Goya (second issue)
- 50 peseta banknote of 1893 — Jovellanos
- 50 peseta banknote of 1898 — Jovellanos
- 50 peseta banknote of 1899 — Quevedo
- 50 peseta banknote of 1902 — Velázquez
- 50 peseta banknote of 1905 — Echegaray
- 50 peseta banknote of 1906 — allegory with caduceus
- 50 peseta banknote of 1907 — Burgos
- 50 peseta banknote of 1927 — Alfonso XIII
- 50 peseta banknote of 1928 — Velázquez and the Prado Museum
- 50 peseta banknote of 1931 — Eduardo Rosales
- 50 peseta banknote of 1935 — Santiago Ramón y Cajal
General guide: selling old Banco de España banknotes. And if more pesetas have appeared in the same drawer, I will tell you 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