1 Guatemalan Quetzal banknote (Jose Maria Orellana)

1 Quetzal (Issued 2008)

The 1 Quetzal is the smallest-value note in Guatemala’s modern circulating series, issued by the Banco de Guatemala with a classically structured layout that marries nineteenth-century guilloche engraving traditions to contemporary offset printing and security features. Its restrained green and grey palette reflects an enduring convention of using cool, authoritative hues to signal stability, and the note remains current legal tender across the country.

On the front, the note is dominated by an engraved portrait of General José María Orellana, the Guatemalan officer and President who served from 1921 until his death in 1926 and who is credited with establishing the quetzal as the national currency in 1925. The portrait occupies the right-hand portion and is rendered in fine intaglio, with detailed cross-hatching giving depth to his military uniform with its epaulettes and rank insignia. The background is printed in layered pale green and grey tones with subtle guilloche rosette patterning, and a large ornate cartouche reading “UN QUETZAL” sits centrally. The issuing authority “BANCO DE GUATEMALA” with “GUATEMALA, CENTRO AMERICA” appears at the upper left, a vivid resplendent quetzal bird in green and red flies to the left, and the serial number is printed twice in dark green. Two facsimile signatures beneath the cartouche carry the titles “GERENTE GENERAL” and “PRESIDENTE”.

The reverse is printed predominantly in green on a light ground, presenting a detailed architectural and cultural panorama. The central image depicts the modernist, grid-fronted tower of the Banco de Guatemala headquarters, with open plazas at its base. To the left stand two tall Maya stelae reproducing the intricate glyphic relief of Classic Maya monumental sculpture, captioned the “Plaza de Letras”, while to the right a large circular medallion features a Maya calendar or ceremonial disc rendered in fine concentric detail. “UN QUETZAL” is printed in the upper right in clean serif type, “BANCO DE GUATEMALA” repeats in the upper banner, and a decorative guilloche border of fine geometric patterning runs along the top and bottom edges.

A 1 Quetzal note from Guatemala is accepted by Webuyallcurrency.com and exchanged together with your other Quetzal banknotes in one easy transaction.

• Indicate the quantity of 1 Quetzal banknotes you want to exchange
• Click the ‘Add to your account’ button
• Your online account now shows the exchange value

Webuyallcurrency.com lets you convert Guatemalan Quetzal notes and any other leftover currency together, with a clear online valuation shown before you commit.

Other Guatemalan Quetzal you can exchange: 5 quetzales, 10 quetzales, 20 quetzales, 50 quetzales, 100 quetzales, 200 quetzales.