Bank.notes

Collection Venezuela #619

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20 VEB

Venezuela 1990_present UNC Needs review ✦ AI 85%
Front · IMG_7435.HEIC cropped
Back · IMG_7436.HEIC cropped
Pair check: not yet checked
Identity

Where & when

Country Venezuela
Currency VEB
Denomination 20
Series name Bolívar series
Series year
Issue year
Era 1990_present
Legal status demonetized
Predecessor currency
Successor currency Bolívar Fuerte (VEF)
Subjects & design

What's on the note

Front portrait
Reverse subject Morrocoy turtle
Watermark Simón Bolívar portrait in clear field at right
Color palette #d4c5a3,#8b7355,#e8d7be
Themes military,wildlife,commemorative
Language / script Latin

Front: The Battle of Lake Maracaibo (24 July 1823), the decisive naval engagement that secured Venezuelan independence from Spain. The scene depicts Admiral José Prudencio Padilla's patriot fleet engaging and defeating the Spanish royalist squadron commanded by Captain Ángel Laborde y Navarro, ending Spanish naval presence in northern South America. This victory, fought near the entrance to Lake Maracaibo in present-day Zulia State, came two years after Bolívar's land victories and is celebrated as one of the most important naval battles in Latin American independence history.

Back: Morrocoy turtle (Chelonoidis carbonaria), also known as the red-footed tortoise, a terrestrial species native to northern South America including Venezuela. Found in tropical forests, savannas and dry forest habitats throughout the country, this tortoise is culturally significant in Venezuela and represents the nation's biodiversity. The species faces habitat loss but remains an emblematic animal of Venezuelan fauna.

Production

How it was made

Issuer Banco Central de Venezuela
Issuer (native)
Printer
Engraver
Material paper
Dimensions (mm) 156x69

Security features: thread,microprint,intaglio,watermark

Geography

Venezuela in South America

Venezuela in South America. Other countries on the same continent shown in muted grey.

The story

Background & history

🎉 Commemorating Battle of Lake Maracaibo.

This note belongs to the Venezuelan Bolívar series issued by the Banco Central de Venezuela during the late 1990s and early 2000s, before the 2008 currency redenomination that introduced the Bolívar Fuerte (VEF) at a ratio of 1000:1. The front commemorates the Battle of Lake Maracaibo (1823), the final major naval battle of the Venezuelan War of Independence. The 20 Bolívares denomination was a mid-range value in everyday circulation before hyperinflation rendered it nearly worthless. Serial number N72222677 visible on the reverse. The note was demonetized on 1 January 2008 when the Bolívar Fuerte replaced the old Bolívar. No known public serial-year encoding identified for Banco Central de Venezuela. The exact issue year cannot be determined from visible evidence; the design style and security features suggest late 1990s to early 2000s production, but without additional catalogue reference or visible date, a precise year cannot be assigned.

Catalogue

Collector references

Pick #
Krause ID
Rarity tier common
Commemorative Yes
Series range
Provenance

How it came to me

Acquired date
Acquired from
Acquired price
Currency
Condition
Grade UNC
Serial number N72222677
Serial prefix N
Valuation

What it's worth now

$1–$5
Type default range $1–$5
Valuation history (1)
datelowhighcurrencysourcenote
2026-05-10 07:38:04 1.0 5.0 USD ai from claude-sonnet-4-5
Technical

History & extractions

AI extractions (1)
anthropic · claude-sonnet-4-5 2026-05-10 07:38:04
status: ok · step 1 · $0.0399 · 7175↓ + 1227↑ tokens
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