100 Pesos ARG Banknote (Standard Issue) 2003

100 Pesos Peso (Issued 2003)

The scene depicted on the reverse of this Argentine banknote — La Conquista del Desierto, or the Conquest of the Desert — is one of the most defining and contested episodes in Argentine national history, carried out under the military command of Julio Argentino Roca in the late nineteenth century. This military campaign, which pushed deep into Patagonian territory, reshaped Argentina’s southern frontier and is inextricably linked to the statesman whose portrait dominates the front of the note. Roca subsequently rose to become President of Argentina, serving two terms, and his image on the 100 Peso denomination reflects his central — if complex — role in shaping the modern Argentine state. The choice of this denomination to commemorate both the man and the campaign underscores the historical weight that Argentine monetary authorities have assigned to this period of national consolidation.

On the front, the dominant feature is the engraved portrait of Julio Argentino Roca, positioned to the right of centre and rendered in fine intaglio line work with considerable tonal depth. Roca is depicted in a formal, three-quarter facing pose, wearing a dark jacket with a high collar, his expression composed and authoritative. His name, “JULIO ARGENTINO ROCA,” is printed in clear serif text directly beneath the portrait. To the left of the portrait, a detailed vignette depicts a busy harbour or port scene, with ships, figures, and what appears to be a waterfront cityscape, rendered in soft grey-green tones that contrast with the warmer purple-brown hues of the portrait area. The denomination “100” appears prominently in the upper left corner in bold green numerals, and again as a large, lightly printed watermark-style figure in the background. The text “BANCO CENTRAL DE LA REPÚBLICA ARGENTINA” is printed in clear dark lettering across the upper centre of the note, establishing the issuing authority. Below the central imagery, the words “CIEN PESOS” are printed in bold dark text along the lower left, with the serial number “57815531C” visible in red along the upper right and repeated vertically in red along the left margin. A faint cursive script, resembling a manuscript or historical document reproduction, fills much of the right-hand portion of the note as a background security pattern, adding both visual texture and an authenticating design layer.

The reverse is dominated by a large, detailed engraved scene depicting a cavalry group in motion across open terrain — this is La Conquista del Desierto, as identified by the text “LA CONQUISTA DEL DESIERTO” printed at the lower left. Multiple mounted soldiers on horseback are shown advancing, their figures rendered in fine engraved line work against a pale lilac and soft purple background. The overall colour palette of the reverse is a muted violet and pale lavender, with the central scene providing the strongest tonal contrast. To the upper left, the denomination “100” is printed in bold numerals, with “CIEN PESOS” again appearing vertically along the left edge. In the upper centre, a block of Spanish text provides a biographical summary of Julio Argentino Roca, citing his birth in Tucumán in 1843, his role as a military strategist, his involvement in the 1879 campaign, and his two presidential terms. To the upper right, the text “REPÚBLICA ARGENTINA” and the national motto “en unión y libertad” are prominently displayed alongside the Argentine national coat of arms, depicted in its traditional form with a central oval, a rising sun above, and laurel branches at the sides. The lower right carries the bold denomination numeral “100” in a deep purple tone, and signature lines are visible with accompanying titles including “PRESIDENTE B.C.R.A.” and “SUBGERENTE DE TESORERÍA,” indicating the authorising officials of the Banco Central de la República Argentina. The text “CASA DE MONEDA” appears at the lower left, identifying the mint responsible for production.

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