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Auction: 323 - The Numismatic Collector's Series Sale
Lot: 1169

Mexico. Bradbury Wilkinson Printer's Archival Photographic Essays for a Proposed Series of 1917 Republica Mexicana Gobierno Constitucionalista Bank Notes. All original vintage sepia photographic images of Specimens, Series A. 5 Pesos. 144 x 69mm. Building. Aztec calendar on back; 10 Pesos. 156 x 75mm. Train on bridge. National arms on back; 20 Pesos. 156 x 75mm. Front, building. Back, white 20 in the center; 100 Pesos. 180 x 88mm. Front, man in oval frame. Back, Eagle and snake; 50 Pesos. 180 x 86mm. Front, tall monument. Back, Train on bridge; The 100, 50, 20 Pesos are mounted on individual cards. The 10 and 5 Pesos are not mounted. "15/9/17" written on the cards at the top. All exhibit natural fading. The cards have minor dismounting traces on the backs only. [8]
Why were these notes made, and why were they never issued? The Mexican Revolution began on November 20th 1910 and caused most of the coins in circulation to be hoarded. General Huerta ordered the private banks to turn in their gold and silver, and to issue paper money that was not backed by anything substantial. The natural result was depreciation of the paper money and a near collapse of the banking system. Paper money issues of all kinds began to circulate along with numerous counterfeits, resulting in financial chaos. Something had to be done to re-establish confidence.
In 1915 the revolutionary Constitutionalists ordered the American Bank Note Company to produce "infalsificable" (unforgeable) notes, with the title "Republica Mexicana Gobierno Constitutionalista." These were meant to be the only valid Mexican paper money.
In 1917 Bradbury Wilkinson proposed a new series of Republica Mexicana Gobierno Constitutionalista notes, as represented by the possibly unique printer's archival photographs in our offering. Two major factors resulted in the non-issuance of the new series; like so many other revolutionary issues the 1915 Series devalued very quickly and eventually became worthless. In February of 1917 a new law restricted the printing of a paper money to a single bank, controlled by the central government. That single bank would be the Banco de la Republica Mexicana.

Sold for
$1,500