LUMANG PERA

NG PILIPINAS
Guerilla notes During World War Two, the Japanese took over the Philippine Islands (starting the
day after the Pearl Harbor attack). The Bataan Death March occurred due to this, and the
Philipinos had to endure years of puppet government rule and hostile occupying forces. Many of
the soldiers who were not captured by the Japanese either formed or joined resistance (guerrilla)
groups. These groups made their own governments and currency. The Japanese government and
it's puppet government also issued their own currencies. Emergency circulating notes were
currency printed by the Philippine Commonwealth Government in exile during World War II.
These "guerrilla pesos" were printed by local government units and banks using crude inks and
materials. Due to the inferior quality of these bills, they were easily mutilated.
Bpi and pnb notes It is amazing to know how paper money originated as bank notes in which
banks issue a paper money with a promise of paying the bearer an equivalent to the amount as
printed. This particular segment shows bank notes issued by BPI, a Philippine bank that is still
going strong in the present. Issuing bank notes makes for a more convenient way of exchange as
the bearer does not need to lug around heavy coins. Imagine carrying around 100 pieces of 1912
silver peso coins..
The BPI notes comes in four series dates: 1912, 1920, 1928, and 1933. Generally speaking,
earlier dates are harder to find and tend to be more valuable than the later dates. Also take note
that signature combinations bearing Jno S. Hord as President are generally higher in value than
Sendres due to less number of printing. 1912 and 1920 issues contain background tint that is in
line with government issued notes (Silver certificates and Treasury certificates) along with PNB
notes. For issues 1928 and 1933, there is no background tint.
Bsp series / New Design Series (NDS) (1985-present)
When Martial Law was lifted in 1981, the Central Bank started to print and mint an entirely new
series of Philippine currency notes and coins which are contemporary and forward looking,
adopting the latest trend of anti-counterfeiting features. On June 12, 1985, the BSP issued the
New Design Series starting with the 5-piso banknote with the face of Emilio Aguinaldo on the
obverse side. The following month, the 10-piso banknote with the face of Apolinario Mabini on
the obverse side was issued. In early 1986, a new 20-piso banknote appeared. After the 1986
People Power Revolution and the new 1987 Constitution was promulgated, the 500-piso banknote
with the face of Benigno Aquino, Jr. on the obverse side was introduced. In 1991, the BSP issued
for the first time a 1000-piso banknote, containing on the obverse side the composite portraits of
Jose Abad Santos, Josefa Llanes Escoda and Vicente Lim.

Central bank of the phil series English Series (1949-1974)

When the American liberation forces arrived in 1944, they brought the currency called the
Victory Series No. 66. With the creation of the Central Bank of the Philippines in 1949, came the
issuance of the English Series. They were in denominations 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500
pesos; all bearing portraits of Filipino heroes on the obverse, vignettes in Philippine history on
the reverse, and worded in English language. On the other hand, all denominations of the Victory
Series No. 66 were overprinted with Central Bank of the Philippines on the reverse side, and
remained legal tender until July 30, 1964.

The two highest denominations of the English Series were later withdrawn from circulation on
December 31, 1957, pursuant to R.A. No. 1516. Only notes of 1 up to 50 pesos continued to be
printed until 1961.
Commonwealth coins The establishment of the Philippine Commonwealth on November 15,
1935, foreshadowed the grant of full independence from the United States on July 4, 1946. To
commemorate this historic event, a set of three silver coins dated 1936 was issued. A 1 peso
coin bore the busts of Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt of the United States and Manuel L. Quezon
of the Philippines.
Another 1 peso and 50-centavo coin bore the busts of Governor General Frank Murphy and
President Quezon.
On the reverse of all three coins appeared the coat of arms of the Philippine Commonwealth
which had by now finally replaced the American eagle and shield of stars and stripes.
Japanese notes During World War II in the Philippines, the occupying Japanese government issued
fiat currency in several denominations; this is known as the Japanese government-issued
Philippine fiat peso (see also Japanese invasion money). The puppet state under Jos P. Laurel
outlawed possession of guerrilla currency, and declared a monopoly on the issuance of money,
so that anyone found to possess guerrilla notes could be arrested.
Some Filipinos called the fiat peso "Mickey Mouse money". Many survivors of the war[who?] tell
stories of going to the market laden with suitcases or "bayong" (native bags made of woven
coconut or buri leaf strips) overflowing with the Japanese-issued bills. According to one witness,
75 "Mickey Mouse" pesos, or about 35 U.S. dollars at that time, could buy one duck egg.[1] In
1944, a box of matches cost more than 100 Mickey Mouse pesos.
A silver certificate is a certificate of ownership that silver owners hold instead of storing the
actual silver. Several countries have issued silver certificates, including Cuba, the Netherlands,
and the United States.
After the Spanish-American war, Spain ceded the Philippines to the Unites States for a amount of
20 million dollars in the 1898 Treaty of Paris.

Reverse of US-Philippines 1 Centavo.

The currency situation was in a state of disarray. The colony needed a new working coinage
system which showed the colony's new identity.