Mexico coinage
In the 70’s, the Ang Bagong Lipunan (ABL) series notes were circulated, which were printed at the Security Printing Plant starting 1978. The “Filipinization” of the Republic coins and notes began in the late 60’s and is carried through to the present. in England and the coins minted at the US Bureau of Mint. With the establishment of the Central Bank of the Philippines in 1949, the first currencies issued were the English series notes printed by the Thomas de la Rue & Co., Ltd. Having gained independence from the United States following the end of World War II, the country used as currency old treasury certificates overprinted with the word “Victory”. The pesos fuertes, issued by the country’s first bank, the El Banco Espanol Filipino de Isabel II, were the first paper money circulated in the country.Ī nation in command of its destiny is the message reflected in the evolution of Philippine money under the Philippine Republic. Silver pesos with the profile of young Alfonso XIII were the last coins minted in Spain. Gold coins with the portrait of Queen Isabela were minted in Manila. The Filipino term “barya”, referring to small change, had its origin in barrilla.Ĭoins from other Spanish colonies also reached the Philippines and were counterstamped to legalize their circulation in the country. The barrilla, a crude bronze or copper coin worth about one centavo, was the first coin struck in the country. Treasured for its beauty of design, the coin features twin crowned globes representing Spanish rule over the Old and the New World, hence the name “two worlds.” It is also known as the Mexican Pillar Dollar or the Columnarias due to the two columns flanking the globes.ĭue to the shortage of fractional coins, the barrillas, were struck in the Philippines as ordered by the Royalty of Spain. The Spanish dos mundos were circulated extensively not only in the Philippines but the world over from 1732-1772. These silver coins usually bore a cross on one side and the Spanish royal coat-of-arms on the other. The cobs or macuquinas of colonial mints were the earliest coins brought in by the galleons from Mexico and other Spanish colonies.