Argentina 1985 - J.B. Alberdi Banknote

Czeslaw Slania engraved two banknotes for Argentina. The first was issued in 1984 with a value of 5000 Pesos Argentinos. The Pesos Argentinos was in use from 1983-85. In 1985 these banknotes were overprinted with 5 Australs, the new currency. The Austral was in use until 1991.  In this blog I will study the 1985 version of the banknote, which is identical to the original except for the addition of the 5 Austral overprint box (on the left side of the obverse and the right side of the reverse). The second banknote he engraved for Argentina was the 1993 50 pesos value. I'll cover this banknote in a future blog (after I've managed to buy it!).

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The obverse of the 5 Austral banknote is dominated by the portrait of Juan Bautista Alberdi, an Argentine diplomat and political theorist.

He was born in San Miguel de Tucuman, Argentina, on 29 August 1810. In 1814 his counrty was plunged into Civil War. The political tensions surrounding the Civil War cultivated in Alberdi a growing interest in such affairs. It became clear from his early career that he disagreed with the current political situation in Argentina. He was a founding member of the "Generation of 37", a group of liberal intellectuals. They criticised both factions of the Argentine Civil Wars; the Federals were too violent and the unitarians totally incapable of rule. The group was especially opposed to the Governor, Juan Manuel Rosas. The group was eventually discovered by Rosas' government and most of its members emigrated to other countries. Alberdi emigrated to Uruguay in 1838. This marked the beginning of his exile, which lasted most of his life. Whilst in exile he attained a Law Degree and he did a lot of writing which included theatre plays.

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In 1852 Juan Manuel Rosas' government was overthrown. Alberdi was instrumental in establishing a new constitution. The image on the reverse of the banknote depicts a meeting to discuss the writing of the new constitution. The engraving on this image is fantastic. From the expressions on the faces, most of which seem different, to the lovely balloon back chairs. Even the cloth draped over the table has a life of its own.

Until next time...

Stay Slania Crazy!