50 Bolivian Bolivianos Banknote (Perez De Holguin)

50 Bolivianos Boliviano (Issued 1986)

Deep violet and soft lilac tones dominate this 1986 Boliviano banknote, with warm cream and pale grey forming the background field across both faces. The choice of purple-violet was a deliberate design convention of Latin American central bank printing in the mid-1980s, lending authority and visual gravity to a currency that had just been redenominated following Bolivia’s catastrophic hyperinflation. Subtle warm ochre and pale green tints emerge within the guilloché underprint, creating depth and complexity that served both aesthetic and anti-counterfeiting purposes at the time of issue.

On the front, the dominant feature is a finely engraved portrait of Melchor Pérez de Holguín, the celebrated colonial-era Bolivian painter widely regarded as one of the most important artists of the Viceroyalty of Peru, whose name is printed in small lettering beneath the portrait. He is depicted wearing a wide-brimmed hat and a ruffled collar typical of his era, rendered in a detailed intaglio style with fine cross-hatching that gives the figure strong three-dimensional modelling against the lighter background. To the left of the portrait, the denomination numeral “50” appears in large bold type in the upper left corner, with the issuing authority rendered in prominent serif capitals reading “BANCO CENTRAL DE BOLIVIA” across the upper portion of the note. Beneath this, in bold block lettering, runs the inscription “CINCUENTA BOLIVIANOS” across the centre of the note. A serial number, “03509241 E”, appears twice — once in the upper left field and once in the lower right area — printed in violet ink. The Bolivian national coat of arms, an oval cartouche featuring the traditional shield with mountain, tree, alpaca, and condor motifs, is positioned to the lower left in engraved detail. A facsimile signature reading “J. A. Morales” appears as the president’s signature, with a second signature line attributed to the Gerente General. A small legal reference text citing the law of 28 November 1986 is printed in fine type along the upper margin. The background guilloché work consists of fine interlocking wave and rosette patterns in pale lilac and cream throughout.

The reverse presents a richly engraved central composition dominated by the Torre de la Compañía, the ornate baroque bell tower of the Jesuit church in Potosí, identified by a caption reading “TORRE DE LA COMPAÑÍA” beneath the image. The tower is rendered in precise intaglio engraving, showing the elaborate carved stonework, arched openings, tiered structure, and domed upper sections characteristic of the Andean baroque architectural style. The denomination numeral “50” appears in large form on both the left and right flanks of the note, framed by intricate circular guilloché rosettes and fine geometric latticework patterns in deep violet. The words “BANCO CENTRAL DE BOLIVIA” run across the top margin, and “CINCUENTA BOLIVIANOS” appears along the lower edge beneath the central vignette. The background is filled with complex interlocking guillochés in lilac, soft green, and cream, with a decorative sunburst or floral motif visible to the left of the main building image, all contributing to the layered security design typical of the period.

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• Indicate the quantity of 50 Bolivianos Boliviano banknotes you want to exchange
• Click the ‘Add to your account’ button
• Your online account now shows the exchange value

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Other Bolivian Bolivianos you can exchange: 10, 20, 100, 200.