Description and research notes
Specimen of the 50 Pesos dated 22 January 1939 for the Departamento de Emision del Banco de la Republica Oriental del Uruguay, printed by Thomas De La Rue, London. This specimen carries the red ESPECIMEN overprint, the perforated cancellation reading 'SIN VALOR', and multiple circular punch holes applied by Thomas De La Rue as part of printer archive control. Serial 00000000, Series C. Watermark Jose Gervasio Artigas.
A separate black specimen number '000235' appears at the lower right margin, identifying this exact specimen within the printer’s archival system. This number is distinct from the zero serial and serves as an internal reference applied to individual specimen copies.
The 'SIN VALOR' perforation is a formal cancellation applied by the printer to invalidate the note for circulation while preserving it as an official reference specimen. This is not a generic perforation pattern but a deliberate textual cancellation used within the De La Rue control system.
Design: obverse with national arms at left and helmeted indigenous warrior at right; reverse depicting a historic assembly beneath classical columns. The large format and deep engraving represent Thomas De La Rue’s high prewar output for South America.
These perforated specimens were official printer file copies used to confirm plate approval and final design execution prior to mass production. The combination of red overprint, 'SIN VALOR' perforation, punch cancels, zero serial numbering, and individual specimen numbering represents the complete De La Rue specimen control protocol.
Importance: concludes Uruguay's classic engraved era before wartime simplification. The perforated 'SIN VALOR' variant with specimen numbering is scarcer than the pure overprint type and directly documents the printer’s internal cancellation and tracking system for specimen retention.