BANKNOTES OF GUATEMALA
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Date	Pick#	Denomination	Observations	Obverse	Reverse
1928	11a	1 Quetzal
1938	14a	1 Quetzal
1936	16a	5 Quetzales
1944	18c	20 Quetzales
1973	58s	1/2 Quetzal
1973	59s	1 Quetzal
1969	60s	5 Quetzales
1971	61s	10 Quetzales
1973	62s	20 Quetzales
1974	63s	50 Quetzales
1972	64s	100 Quetzales
1983	65s	1/2 Quetzal
1983	66s	1 Quetzal
1983	67s	5 Quetzales
1983	68s	10 Quetzales
1983	69s	20 Quetzales
1983	70s	50 Quetzales
1983	71s	100 Quetzales
1998	101	10 Quetzales
1999	102	20 Quetzales
2003	106	5 Quetzales
2003	107	10 Quetzales
2003	108	20 Quetzales

The history of Guatemalan Quetzal
The Guatemalan quetzal was first Introduced as the national currency in 1925, it replaced the Guatemalan peso at a rate of sixty pesos to one quetzal. The quetzal is named after the national bird of Guatemala, the Quetzal bird or Resplendent Quetzal. In ancient Mayan times, the Quetzal bird’s tail feathers were used as currency.

In 1945 it was decided that the issue of banknotes would only be allowed by the state and during the same year The Banco de Guatemala was formed. In 1948 the Banco de Guatemala issued its first banknotes and since it has been the sole banknote issuer in the country until this day.

Up until 1979 the value of the quetzal was pegged equal to the US dollar. Both US dollars and quetzals circulated side by side in the country. After 1979 the value of the quetzal has traded freely against other world currencies.

The Guatemalan quetzal is divided into 100 centavos, and its ISO 4217 code is GTQ. The plural of quetzal is quetzales in Spanish or in anglicized form quetzals.

Current banknotes in circulation come in denominations of 50 centavos, 1, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 quetzals. Coins currently come in 1, 5, 10, 25, 50 centavos and 1 quetzal.

The Banco de Guatemala issued a new 100 quetzales banknote early this year. The new banknotes is similar to the previous design but has a holographic strip added to improve security. The Banco de Guatemala has announced that a new polymer 1 quetzal banknote will be issued in May 2007. It is also planned that in the not to distant future the Banco de Guatemala will issued new high value banknotes in 200, 500 and 1000 quetzal denominations. The main designs of the front and back, as well as the dominating color of the new banknotes will be determined by the Congress of the Republic of Guatemala, but as of yet no final decision has been announced.
 

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Page created:     20 June 2006
Last Update:      27 April 2007

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