10 Bolivian Bolivianos Banknote (Umajalanta Cavern)

10 Bolivianos Boliviano (Issued 1986)

Bolivia’s transition from the peso to the boliviano in 1987 forms the economic backdrop against which this 1986 banknote was produced, authorised under Ley 901 del 28 de Noviembre de 1986, a piece of legislation cited directly on the note itself. The country was emerging from a period of catastrophic hyperinflation that had devastated the old peso, and this new series from the Banco Central de Bolivia represented a determined effort to restore monetary credibility through modern design and improved security printing. The note carries the dual designation “Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia” alongside the issuing authority’s name, reflecting the constitutional identity of the nation. Against this backdrop of monetary reform, the design choices made for this issue speak to a conscious effort to anchor national identity in indigenous heritage and natural patrimony.

On the front, the note is dominated by a trio of portrait busts positioned to the right of centre, rendered in finely detailed engraving against a warm ochre and tan background. The central and most prominent figure is José Santos Vargas, known as “El Tambor Vargas”, a celebrated chronicler and drummer of the Bolivian War of Independence, whose name and epithet are clearly inscribed beneath his portrait. To his upper right appears the figure identified as Eustaquio Méndez “Moto Méndez”, a guerrilla leader of the independence struggle, and to his left is Apiaguaiki Tüpa, the Chiriguano indigenous leader, both labelled by name on the note. Behind the portraits, a central vignette depicts the caverns of Umajalanta Torotoro, a remarkable underground cave system, rendered in blue and violet tones with stalactite formations visible in the illustration, and captioned accordingly. The left-hand portion of the note carries a watermark window area and a vertical security strip bearing repeated “10” microprinting, transitioning through pale blue and cream tones. The denomination “10” appears in bold numerals at both the upper left and lower right in deep blue ink, with the words “DIEZ BOLIVIANOS” printed in full along the lower edge. The header reads “Banco Central de Bolivia” in bold serif typography with “Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia” in a smaller line beneath. The serial number 011125103 A is printed twice, once at upper right and once at lower left, in black ink. Two signature lines are present at the bottom, captioned “PRESIDENTE a.i. BCB” and “GERENTE GENERAL a.i. BCB” respectively. The overall colour palette of the front combines warm golden-tan tones with blue security elements and dark engraved portraiture.

The reverse presents a vivid celebration of Bolivian natural heritage, dominated by a large full-colour photographic-style landscape of Isla del Pescado within the Salar de Uyuni salt flat, labelled clearly on the note, showing rocky terrain, arid slopes, and the distinctive expanse of one of the world’s largest salt flats meeting a pale sky and distant water. Prominently positioned in the left foreground is a brilliantly rendered hummingbird depicted in iridescent green, golden-brown, and deep teal tones, its identity not labelled in the image but forming a vivid compositional centrepiece. To the right of the landscape, perching among tall cacti, is a second bird identified by caption as “Picaflor Gigante” — the giant hummingbird, Patagona gigas — rendered in brown and olive tones with careful detail to feathering and posture. The cactus plants framing the central scene are depicted in green and grey-brown, adding to the arid Andean atmosphere. The bold numeral “10” appears centrally in dark ink, and the words “DIEZ BOLIVIANOS” are displayed in a dark rectangular banner across the lower centre. The header on the reverse repeats “Banco Central de Bolivia” and “Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia” in the same serif typography as the front. The border of the note features a repeating guilloché wave pattern in pale blue and lilac, consistent across both faces, providing a decorative security frame. The background carries ghost watermark impressions of the numeral “10” visible in the paper to the right margin.

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