5 Cuban Pesos Banknote (Antonio Maceo)

5 Pesos Peso (Issued 1997-2021)

The years following the collapse of the Soviet Union plunged Cuba into a prolonged economic crisis known as the Special Period, a time of severe austerity that fundamentally reshaped the island’s financial institutions. It was against this backdrop that the Banco Central de Cuba was formally established in 1997, replacing the Banco Nacional de Cuba as the country’s central monetary authority under Fidel Castro’s revolutionary government. The creation of a new central bank necessitated a fresh series of banknotes bearing its name and seal, and the 5 Pesos note issued from 1997 onwards stands as one of the earliest physical expressions of that institutional transition. This note circulated through a period of significant economic reform, dual currency experimentation, and ongoing political continuity under the Castro administration.

On the front, the note is dominated by a finely engraved portrait of Antonio Maceo, the celebrated Afro-Cuban general and hero of Cuba’s independence wars against Spanish colonial rule, positioned to the right of centre. His image is rendered with considerable intaglio detail, showing his face in three-quarter profile, his distinctive moustache clearly defined, and a military collar visible at the base of the portrait. The overall colour palette of the front face is a warm combination of green and terracotta-orange tones, with the portrait area presented in deep green engraving against the lighter background. At the upper left, the issuing authority is printed in bold capital letters reading “BANCO CENTRAL DE CUBA,” establishing the institutional identity of this early issue. The serial number 936774 appears twice in red — once at the upper left and once at the upper right — with the prefix “EA-25” printed below in black at both the left and right margins. The year of issue, “AÑO 1997,” is printed in green at the upper right corner and again at the lower left in smaller text. The denomination is stated prominently in the centre of the note as “CINCO PESOS” in large serif capitals, with the numeral “5” appearing at the upper right corner and again in a small vertical denomination panel at the lower left. A decorative guilloché rosette pattern occupies the central background, rendered in pale green and cream, providing an intricate geometric field against which the denomination text sits. To the left of the central design, a square emblem composed of interlocking geometric forms — consistent with the Banco Central de Cuba device — is printed in green. The signature of the Presidente del Banco appears in cursive script at the lower centre, accompanied by the title below it. Along the lower margin, the name “ANTONIO MACEO” is printed in capital letters, serving as a formal identification of the portrait subject.

The reverse is printed entirely in green tones across a pale background, with the heading “REPUBLICA DE CUBA” displayed in large bold capitals across the top of the note. The central vignette is a detailed engraved scene depicting a group of historical figures gathered together in what appears to be a patriotic or military assembly, with multiple uniformed and civilian figures visible amid foliage and a hammock, evoking a scene from Cuba’s independence struggle. The composition is framed within an ornate border of scalloped and geometric patterning that surrounds the entire central image. Below the vignette, a caption reads “CUBA SERA UN ETERNO BARAGUÁ,” referencing the Protest of Baraguá — Antonio Maceo’s famous 1878 rejection of a peace treaty with Spain — connecting the reverse scene thematically to the portrait on the front. The numeral “5” appears vertically along the left margin and is also visible within a small denomination panel at the lower right corner of the reverse. The overall paper shows a pale, lightly textured quality consistent with this period of Cuban note production, and faint show-through from the front design is visible against the light background areas.

This Cuban 5 Pesos banknote can be exchanged through Webuyallcurrency.com, where current Cuban Pesos banknotes are bought alongside other foreign currency — ideal for clearing a drawer of mixed coins and notes at once.

• Indicate the quantity of 5 Pesos Peso banknotes you want to exchange
• Click the ‘Add to your account’ button
• Your online account now shows the exchange value

Wondering who buys foreign coins and banknotes? Webuyallcurrency.com does — bring your Cuban Pesos banknotes together with any other old or withdrawn currency and exchange it all for cash in one place.

Other Cuban Pesos you can exchange: 1, 3, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000.