Local Banknotes of the Civil War in Asturias: Emergency and Necessity Vouchers

In the turbulent landscape of Spanish numismatics, the local banknotes from the Civil War in Asturias (1936-1939) emerge as silent testimonies to daily survival in an isolated and convulsed territory. Asturias, a Republican stronghold in northern Spain, faced severe isolation after the military coup of July 1936, which severed supply lines with the rest of the loyalist zone. The scarcity of small change—essential for daily transactions such as bread, coal, and miners' wages—forced town councils, unions, and local committees to issue emergency or necessity vouchers . These provisional banknotes, hastily printed on rudimentary paper using local lithographs, not only alleviated the economic crisis but also symbolized the resilience of a region marked by the October Revolution of 1934 and the subsequent Asturian Offensive of 1937. In our collectible banknote shop , these historical artifacts capture the essence of an Asturias in arms, ideal for collectors seeking authentic pieces of Spanish numismatic history . Explore our selection and connect with the legacy of those banknotes that circulated in the mining valleys and Cantabrian ports.

Historical Context: Isolation and Monetary Crisis in Republican Asturias

The Spanish Civil War erupted in Asturias on July 19, 1936, one day after the uprising in the rest of the country. While Colonel Antonio Aranda led a rebellion in Oviedo, supported by Falangists and local right-wingers, the rest of the region—Gijón, Avilés, and the Nalón and Caudal river basins—remained loyal to the Republic. This partial control created an isolated Republican enclave, dependent on the Cantabrian Sea for supplies, but vulnerable to Italian bombing raids and the Francoist advance. The Asturian economy, based on coal mining and steelmaking, collapsed under the weight of the war: factories seized by workers' committees, agricultural collectivization, and rampant inflation that devalued the Republican peseta by up to 80%.

The monetary crisis was immediate. The Bank of Spain in Gijón, seized by the Interprovincial Council of Asturias and León, issued provisional checks (5 to 100 pesetas), but the fractional currency—50 centimos, 1 and 2 pesetas—disappeared due to hoarding and capital flight. Without change, commerce ground to a halt: miners went unpaid, markets emptied, and bartering proliferated. As detailed in the catalogue *Municipal Banknotes Civil War 1936-1939* by Juan Montaner Amorós and Andreu Garí, this scarcity spurred local issues. Town councils, under the control of Popular Front administrations (PSOE, UGT, CNT), and unions issued vouchers to facilitate transactions within their territories. These tokens, valid only locally and exchangeable for Bank of Spain banknotes, reflected the forced autonomy of a besieged territory.

The Sovereign Council of Asturias and León, proclaimed in August 1937 under Belarmino Tomás, centralized some issues—such as the "Belarminos" worth between 0.25 and 2 pesetas—but could not curb the proliferation of municipal issues. In September 1937, local newspapers like Avance announced bans on union vouchers, ordering their exchange for official banknotes. However, the Asturian Offensive (September-October 1937), with 45,000 Republicans against 90,000 Nationalists, precipitated the collapse: Gijón fell on October 21, and thousands of vouchers were demonetized or destroyed in the Francoist repression. Sources such as the General Archive of the Spanish Civil War in Salamanca preserve municipal records that document these issues, revealing how mining towns like Langreo and Laviana organized parallel economies to survive the siege.

This context was not unique in Spain: in Catalonia and Valencia, regional councils issued similar currency, but in Asturias, the working-class tradition—inherited from the 1934 Revolution, where miners' committees had already abolished rents and issued vouchers—amplified the local response. Historians like Hugh Thomas in *The Spanish Civil War* highlight how these local banknotes were "tools of the libertarian revolution," financing collectives and militias until the very end.

General Description: Common Characteristics of the Asturian Valleys

Local banknotes from Asturias during the Civil War shared characteristics of austerity and functionality, adapted to the urgency of the situation. Printed in lithography workshops in Gijón or Oviedo, such as Control de Litografía, they measured between 80 and 120 mm, on fragile, low-quality paper—often recycled from Republican posters or pamphlets. They used blue, red, and black inks, with minimal anti-counterfeiting features: hand-numbered serial numbers, signatures of mayors or municipal secretaries, and circular seals with the Republican coat of arms (lion and castles). The obverse stated: "The City Council of [town/city] will pay the bearer [denomination] in Bank of Spain banknotes," dated between 1936 and 1937. The simpler reverse repeated "Valid for [value]" with notices of local validity and a prohibition on export.

Typical denominations: 5, 10, 25, and 50 centimos, equivalent to the now-defunct copper coin. Designs evoked Asturian identity: vignettes of miners with pickaxes, ships in El Musel port, or cornfields, accompanied by slogans such as "Peace and Work" or "Unity for the Republic." Unlike the banknotes of the Bank of Gijón, these lacked complete series, and many were coupons detachable from booklets. According to Panorama Numismático , these issues totaled millions of units, but their fragility and the post-war period reduced the number of survivors: today, pieces in VF (Very Fine) condition are rare, with PMG grading or independent certificates.

Production varied depending on the issuer: town councils printed them en masse for distribution in markets; unions, such as the UGT in Mieres, issued them for workers' commissaries. In coastal towns like Llanes, vouchers incorporated maritime motifs, reflecting the dependence on Republican contraband.

Issuing Municipalities: A Catalogue of Local Resistance

Several Asturian municipalities, especially in mining and rural areas, used vouchers to keep the economy afloat. Although the Sovereign Council attempted to centralize the issue, the geographical dispersion—mountains and coasts—encouraged independent issuances. Based on catalogs such as that of Montaner and Garí, and municipal archives, the following stand out:

• Gijón : As the economic capital, the City Council issued fractional vouchers in 1936 (5-25 centimos), printed by the Gijón Lithography Company. Used in the port and Cimadevilla markets, they bore the stamp "Republican Municipal Management." They circulated alongside bank checks, facilitating port wages.
• Avilés : In this industrial town, the City Council issued 10 and 50 cent vouchers in July 1936, backed by the seizure of factories such as Ensidesa. Designs featuring stalks of corn symbolized local agriculture; they were redeemable at workers' cooperatives.
• Langreo (including Sama and La Felguera) : The heart of the mining industry, issued emergency vouchers in August 1936 (5-50 centimos), signed by the socialist mayor. Scenes of coal mines adorned the reverses; these vouchers financed militias in the Nalón basin, up until the Battle of El Mazuco.
• Laviana : A quintessential working-class town, the City Council produced 25-cent banknotes in 1937, bearing the slogan "For Victory." Integrated into UGT-CNT collectives, few examples survived, preserved in the Historical Archive of Asturias.
• Mieres : In the central mining basins, vouchers worth 10-25 cents, issued in September 1936 by the municipal management company. Featuring industrial motifs and union logos, these vouchers, used in miners' company stores, reflect the "Asturian Revolution" of 1934.
• Llanes : A coastal town, it issued fractional vouchers in 1936 (5-20 cents), featuring fishermen's vignettes. These circulated at the weekly market, exchangeable for fish or cider, until the evacuation of 1937.
• Siero (Polaciones) : Rural and mining, 50-cent vouchers in 1937, printed locally. Endorsed by the Council, but with municipal autonomy; designs with bullfighting crosses evoked popular festivals.

Other municipalities such as Pravia, Castrillón, Carreño, and Ribadesella issued similar vouchers, often in collaboration with labor unions. In total, at least 20 Asturian town halls produced vouchers, according to the blog Billetes Municipales (Municipal Vouchers ), although many were short-lived due to the region's fall. The General Archive of the Civil War documents records from Gijón, Siero, and Laviana, confirming their provisional legality.

Rarities and Variants: The Charm of Local Collecting

Rarity defines these banknotes: variants include "extensions" stamped in 1937, extending their validity despite the central government's veto; or "unnumbered" editions of proof sheets, as in Langreo. The 25-cent note from Mieres with its missing yellow background is a gem, possibly never in circulation. Post-war forgeries are minimal, but they can be authenticated by the rough paper and UV fluorescence. Compared to Catalan issues, the Asturian notes are more austere, but their mining context makes them unique. Complete sets from a municipality, such as Gijón, are highly sought after on forums like Foronum.

Numismatic Importance: More Than Paper, Collective Memory

These vouchers transcend the monetary: they tell the story of self-management during wartime, with collectivizations that foreshadowed anarchist models. In Asturias, they financed resistance until October 1937, when 100,000 Republicans were forcibly conscripted by Franco. Their study, " Banknotes of the Bank of Spain during the Civil War ," illuminates economies of survival, with an annual appreciation in collectors of 8-15%.

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In our collectible banknote shop , we prioritize certified Asturian banknotes, offering advice for both beginners and experts. Visit us and collect the history of these banknotes that united communities in times of adversity.

(Words: 1,512. Sources: Municipal Banknotes Civil War (Montaner & Garí); Numismatic Panorama; General Archive of the Civil War; Hugh Thomas, The Spanish Civil War.)