Argentine peso moneda nacional

The peso moneda nacional was the currency of Argentina from November 5, 1881 to January 1, 1970, the date in which the Argentine peso ley was issued to the Argentine public. It was subdivided into 100 centavos, with the argentino worth 5 pesos. Its symbol was m$n or $m/n. Its ISO 4217 code was ARM.

History

The peso moneda nacional replaced the Argentine real at a rate of one to eight. It also replaced the peso fuerte at par and the peso moneda corriente at a rate of 25 pesos monedas corrientes = 1 peso moneda nacional. The peso moneda nacional was itself replaced by the peso ley at a rate of one hundred to one.

The peso was initially pegged to the French franc at a rate of 1 peso = 5 francs. In 1883, when silver coins ceased production, the paper peso was set at a value of 2.2 francs or 638.7 mg gold. After a suspension in the gold standard from 1914, in 1927, a peg to the U.S. dollar was established of 2.36 pesos = 1 dollar. The rate changed to 1.71 pesos = 1 dollar in 1931, then to 3 pesos = 1 dollar in 1933. Between 1934 and 1939, the peso was pegged to the British pound at a rate of 15 pesos = 1 pound. High inflation in the post-war period lead to the introduction of the peso ley in 1970 at the rate of 100 pesos monedas nacionales = 1 peso ley.

Coins

In 1881, silver 10, 20 and 50 centavos and 1 peso and gold 1 argentino coins were introduced, followed by bronze 1 and 2 centavos the next year. Silver coins ceased production in 1883, with gold coins ending in 1896. Base metal 5, 10 and 20 centavos were introduced in 1896, with base 50 centavos following in 1941. The 1 peso was reintroduced in 1957, with 5, 10 and 25 pesos introduced in 1961, 1962 and 1964.

Centavo

Peso

Banknotes

10 Centavos 1884

20 Centavos 1884

5 Centavos 1891

10 Centavos 1895

The first nationally issued banknotes were introduced by the Banco Nacional in 1884. These were in denominations of 5, 10, 20 and 50 centavos. In 1891 and 1892, the same denominations were produced by the Banco de la Nación Argentina. In 1894, the Banco de la Nación Argentina introduced larger denomination notes for 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1000 pesos.

Paper money production was taken over by the Caja de Conversion in 1899. That year, 50 centavos, 1 and 100 pesos were introduced, followed in 1900 by notes for 5, 10, 50, 500 and 1000 pesos. These notes were issued until 1935, when the Banco Central began to produce notes.

Issues 1899-1935

Law 3505, of 20 September, 1897, authorized the Caja de Conversión to renovate all paper money in existence at the time. They decided to make new design called "Progress's Effigy" ("Efigie del Progreso").

These bank notes were created originally in a bigger size and printed by the mint (Casa de Moneda), using French-made paper. Due to their size, and the paper not being of good enough quality, they began to deteriorate. They then decided to suspend the printing and look for another provider. The new notes, of smaller size, started to be issued in 1903, using typography as the printing method.

Value	Issue dates	Image
50 centavos	1899-1900,1918-1926
1 Peso	1900-1903,1906-1935
5 Pesos	1900-1935
10 Pesos	1900-1935
50 Pesos	1900-1935
100 Pesos	1899-1932
500 Pesos	1900-1901,1905,1909-1930,1935
1000 Pesos	1901,1905,1906,1908,1910-1934

The Banco Central issued the following banknotes:

Value	Portrait	Back	Emission start date	Withdrawn	Image
50 centavos	Republic face	National Constitution	1942	31 December 1960
1	Justice	House of Tucumán	1935	31 December 1960
5	José de San Martín	May Revolution	1935	31 January 1965
10	José de San Martín	Oath of Independence	17 March 1936	31 January 1965
50	José de San Martín	Passage of the Andes	10 September 1936	30 March 1968
50	José de San Martín	Passage of the Andes	2 January 1943	30 September 1968
100	José de San Martín	Buenos Aires foundation	14 August 1936	30 March 1968
100	José de San Martín	Buenos Aires foundation	23 December 1943	30 September 1968
500	José de San Martín	Argentine Central Bank	21 December 1944	30 March 1968
500	José de San Martín	San Martín's house at Grand Bourg	25 November 1964	30 September 1968
1,000	José de San Martín	President Sarmiento Frigate	21 December 1944	1 July 1975
5,000	José de San Martín	National Congress	4 October 1962	1 July 1975
10,000	José de San Martín	San Martín and O'Higgins meeting	18 December 1961	1 July 1975

References

External links

• Pesos moneda nacional coin photos

Historical currencies of Argentina
Real R$A [—] 1813–1881 Peso (fuerte) (convertible) $F [ARF] 1826–1881 Peso (moneda corriente) $m/c [ARC] 1826–1881 Peso (oro sellado) (convertible to gold) $o/s [ARG] 1881–1929 Peso (moneda nacional) (convertible) $m/n [ARM] 1881–1970 Peso (ley) $L [ARL] 1970–1983 Peso argentino $a [ARP] 1983–1985 Austral A [ARA] 1985–1991 Peso (convertible) $AR [ARS] 1992–present