Currency Today : Venezuela 12

The 3rd and 4th banknote in the 2018 series of the Boliváres notes, are 10 and 20 BsS / VeS.
Both notes have January 15, 2018 as issuing date.

10 and 20 (new) Boliváres

The design for the 20 BsS-note was already used in the older sets.

(see : https://rainbowstampsandcoins.blogspot.com/2019/03/currency-today-venezuela-08.html )
Since 10,000 BsF is 200 times 50 BsF, and 20 BsS is 200 times 10,000 BsF, this new note has the same value of 40,000 old 50 BsF notes !

Both notes (10 and 20 BsS) have the same date of issue and the same signature

signature on 20 BsS/VeS -note

reverse side of 10 and 20 BsS

On the reverse side, both notes continue with endangered or at least vulnerable species.
The 'oso palmero' or Giant Anteater, lives in the northern part of South America. Covering almost all of Venezuela, Brazil, down to Colombia, Ecuador and norther parts of Argentina and Paraguay.
Althouh its habitat covers a great part of South America, the animal is vulnerable.

Giant Anteater - Oso Palmero

Oso Palmero on 10 BsS/VeS

The reverse side of the 20 BsS note shows a Jaguar (Yaguar in Spanish).
This animal is not endangered or vulnerable, but close to vulnerability.
The latin name is 'pantera onca', the word 'panther' is derived from classical Latin panthēra, itself from the ancient Greek pánthēr (πάνθηρ).
The word jaguar (Yaguar) however is thought to derive from the Tupian word yaguara, meaning "beast of prey".The word entered English presumably via the Amazonian trade language Tupinambá, via Portuguese jaguar. The specific word for jaguar is yaguareté, with the suffix -eté meaning "real" or "true". The above languages are spoken in various parts in Brazil, next to Venezuela.

real Jaguar

Jaguar on 20 BsS/VeS

to be continued...

Currency Today : Venezuela 11

In January 2018, the old Boliváres Fuertes notes have lost that much value, that it became impossible to use the old notes.
Imagine you paying 1,000,000 boliváres for a coffee, with 10 notes of 100,000.

In stead of printing new notes with even higher denominations, they dropped 5 zero's, so 100,000 Boliváres fuertes became 1 Bolivar Soberano (sovereign).
The 1 Bolivar is a coin, from 2 Boliváres on, new banknotes were printed.

They fit seamlessly with the previous types of notes. The note mentionnes 'bolváres', but in fact it's a new currency. They old Boliváres are officially VEF (fuertes) and the new ones VES (soberanos).
When looking up exchange rates, the two types are as different as dollars and roubles, except, they were issued in the same country.

Again, the banknotes are in high quality printing, and very attractive in design.

The first two note in the VES-set are 2 and 5 Boliváres. The date of issue is January 15, 2018.
We see signature H (similar to the issues in 2017).

signature H

At the back side of the notes, we find again some endangered or vulnerable animals that live in the Venezolan region.

2 and 5 Boliváres Soberanos / VES

For the 2 BsS (VES) note, the design is that of the Yellow shouldered parrot.

a very popular but vulnerable pet in Venezuela

yellow shouldered parrot

What's in the name. The Yellow shouldered parrot, is a yellow shouldered parrot...
It lives in the north of Venezuela, from the tropical Islands Margarita and La Blanquilla to the Dutch Caribean Island of Bonaire. In Aruba the bird is extirpated, and possibly also on Curaçao.

The 5 boliváres-note shows a critially endangered endemic frog, the 'sapito rayado' or Veragua stubfoot toad or even Rancho Grande harlequin frog.
This frog's habitat was the Caracas surroundings, but due to human influence (Caracas is known as the concrete jungle), the animal is now seriously threatned.

Sapito rayado - Veragua stubfoot toad

also known as the Ranch Grande harlequin frog

to be continued ...

Currency Today : Venezuela 10

Because of the high inflation in Venezuela, and the need more and more banknotes to pay for basic products, only two solutions were possible.
First, the national bank could create higher denominations.
But so far the highest value was already 100,000 boliváres fuertes ...
This would only lead to even higher inflation.

And who wants to pay millions or billions for a chicken ...

Buying a chicken and the counter value in banknotes ... in 2018

Second solution was to create a new value, by skipping 5 zero's off the old banknotes.
So 100,000 became "1" again.
This ment that all 'old' banknotes had to be exchanged for 'new' onse, or became worthless afterwards.

In 2018, a new set of banknotes were issued.
They are similar in style to the first and second issue of the Boliváres fuertes.
Because 5 zero's were dropped, the currency got a new name : Boliváres Soberanos (sovereign bolivares).

The issued notes have following values : 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500.
Since 1 BsS equals 100,000 BsF, the new notes follow exactly the line of inflation of the previous sets :

On top : 1st issue of Boliváres fuertes notes (2 to 100)
In the middle : 2nd set of Boliváres fuertes notes (500 to 100,000)
at the bottom left (in red) the value of the soberanos in fuertes-notes.
at the bottom right : the new Boliváres soberanos (2 to 500)

Where in 2007, the highest denomiation was 100 boliváres, the highest denomination in 2018 is 50 million (old) bolivares.

One coffee por favor... that's one million please ...

counting per 1000 boliváres to pay for food

I present the new notes in my next posts.

Currency Today : Venezuela 08b

The 1,000 Bolváres fuertes note has at least 2 different signatures and dates.

There are only few differences between the two notes :

Type 1 (serial B)

-: serial B8

1: date of issue : August 18, 2016
2: signature F

Type 2 (serial P)

-: serial P8

1: date of issue : March 23, 2017
2: signature G

left (B8) dat of issue August 18, 2016 - right (P8) date if issue March 23, 2017

As far as I could find, there's not version with a colour shifting denomination.
Probably, at the time of issue, the 500 Boliváres and 1000 Boliváres notes, did not represent a value that could justify a banknote with a a more expensive print technique.

For the 10,000 Bolváres fuertes notes, there are again 2 types:

Type 1 (here replacement note with serial Z)

1: year of issue 2016
2: colour of 10,000 shifts when tilt
3: signature F
4: security tread is wide

Type 2 (serial C)

1: year of issue 2017
2: colour of 10,000 is unicolour blue
3: signature H

4: security tread is small

to be continued ...

Mexico 1868 Hidalgo : 03c 12 cents

In my last part on the varieties of the dotted Hidalgo 12 Cent (1868),
I present you variations 7, 8, 9 and 10.

Variety 12 VII

In the 7th variation, there are again 2 things to look at:

12 cent - variations 7

The second stroke of the M in Mexico is broken.

variation 7a

Secondly, the bottom line has been redrawn in the left corner.
Both lines are neat and perfectly parallel.

variation 7b

The top part of the 2 touches the stroke downwards.
I only found it on this stamp, so I can't tell for sure if it is a third characteristic for this subtype or not.

Variety 12 VIII

Next variation (8) shows a thicker left side of the X in Mexico.

variation 8

thicker X in Mexico

Unlike other variations in this type, here, the X is mainly thickened on the left hand side.
It's not one stroke, but the entire left side.

Variety 12 IX

The second last subtype of the 12 Cent Hidalgo has again 2 characteristics.
One is on the left part of the inner circle, the other in the line under the 2 of 12.

Hidalgo 12 cent - variation IX

variation IX a

The inner circle is left ticker then normal. This is best to be compared with other 'regular' stamps.
A second characteristic is under the 2 of the 12. Here we see the line under the value, is broken.
It seems like the line is missing under the 2.

variation IXb

Variety 12 X

Finally variation X (ten) also with two characteristic items :

Hidalgo 12 cent - variations 10

Both specific marks are at the left bottom corner of the stamp.
Firstly, the frame of the rosetta is broken on the right side.

variation 10 a and 10 b

The frame around the rosetta is incomplete (1).

Secondly, the 1 of 12 is smaller then the 2.
To see this clearly, you have to compare it with a regular or similar stamp in this set.

comparing 2 "12 's" one regular (left) one smaller (right)

The frame in grey is rectangular, so the top and bottom line are parallel.
Left, the 1 touches the frame I drew, right, the 1 is clearly smaller then it should be

Overview variations VII to X

Variations VII (grey green) - variation VIII (purple) - variations IX (red) and variations X (grey)

This is the second stamp in the (dotted) Hidalgo stamp.
Next time, I will go deeper into the 25 Cent...

to be continued...

Mexico 1868 Hidalgo : 03b 12 cents

More variations on the 12 cent Hidalgo in this post.

Variety 12 IV

12 CENT variation IV

The fourth variation of this type has 2 remarkable items, both to be found near the 12.

First mark is the dot under the C of CENT.

drop hanging on the line under C of CENT

A second mark, can be found between 12 and CENT.  Here there is a second (smaller) dot.

two dots after the 12

Variety 12 V

The 'oddity' is to be found in the right top corner, in the decoration under the rosetta.
It's not easy to find a good example of this fifth type. In most cases, the district number is near this spot. Especially with a two digit district number, it becomce difficult. On top of that, often a regular cancel hides the variation too.

12 Cent - variety 5

Under the rosetta is a decoration in the shape of the tip of a fountain pen, seen from the side.
Left of it, towards the central picture of the stamp, is a second line, parallel to the decoration,
and left of that, is a frame line of the complete ornament.
These 3 lines are supposed to be parallel to each ohter, in this type however, it's not.

detail 12 Cent - Variety 5

closer detail of the 12 Cent - Variation 5

This second pic shows it clearer. The middle stroke of those 3, seems connected to the left one at the bottom. Through the most right stroke, an additional curve appears.
It looks like the middle stroke is not a line, but a stylish "q"

Variety 12 VI

The sixth variation can be recognised by looking to the X in Mexico and the bottom stroke of the 1 in 12 is lifted up.

variation VI - two characteristics

The stroke going from left above, to right under is thicker than the other stroke.

detail variation VI - 12 Cent

The second characteristic, is the horizontal line under the 1 of 12.
It is pointing upwards in stead of being a flat line.

uplifted 'serif' at the bottom of the 1 in 12

Overview variations IV to VI

VI (orange) - V - (light blue) and VI (light green)

to be continued...

Mexico 1868 Hidalgo : 03a 12 cents

The second stamp in the (dotted) Hidalgo stamp of 1868, is the 12 cent.

12 CENT Hidalgo 1868 - basic

It' s worth having a closer look at this stamp too, as there are several variations that are easy to find.

Variety 12 I

The first variation can be recognised by the lines on top of the M of Mexico.

Hidalgo 12 Cent 1868 - variation I

Detail of variation I - 12 Cent Hidalgo 1868

The double line on top of the word MEXICO is incomplete. The part above the M is partly missing.

Variety 12 II

A second variation shows a broken/bended line left below, the 12 of the value.

Hidalgo 12 Cent 1868 - variation II

Detail of variation II - 12 Cent Hidalgo 1868

The botom line is broken, and seen from left, it looks as if the 'bridge is open'.

Variety 12 III

The third variation, has 3 characteristic items. Handy, when the stamp is badly cancelled, single variations are often hidden.

Two variations can be found on top of the stamp. The M and the C of Mexico have variations.

Hidalgo 12 Cent 1868 - variation III a

The right stroke of the M in Mexico is incomplete/open.
The top curve of the C in Mexico ends in a drop, where it normally should end in a diagonal line.

Hidalgo 12 Cent 1868 - variation III b

Also at the bottom of the stamp, there is an error.
The stamps in this set are 'dotted', this means, threre's a dot behind the value.

Hidalgo 12 Cent 1868 - variation III c

In this 3rd variation, the dot behind the 12 is splitted. ( ) in stead of ().

Overview variation I to III

Variation I (purple), II (yellow) and III (pink).
More variations on this stamp, in my next post(s)...