Description and research notes
This Serie C one hundred pesos specimen, numbered 11, preserves a distinct stage in the alphabetical progression of the Banco de la Republica Oriental del Uruguay issue of 1939. Its black specimen markings, individually printed number, prefix C all-zero serials, and complete two-sided control treatment establish it as a formally documented reference note prepared under the authority of Thomas De La Rue and Company Limited.
Specimen No. 11 identifies the piece as part of a managed institutional sequence. The number allows this exact note to be recognized independently from other Serie C reference examples and records its assigned place within the controlled group prepared for archival retention, official comparison, or distribution to authorized recipients.
The obverse is constructed around a central emblematic core. Uruguay's national arms are set within an intricate rosette above the denomination CIEN PESOS, while MONEDA NACIONAL confirms the national monetary character of the instrument. The title of the Republica Oriental del Uruguay spans the top of the design in bold engraved lettering and gives the composition its formal institutional voice.
At right, the allegorical figure holding the Constitution represents republican legality and continuity. Her placement beside architectural and industrial forms connects the legal foundation of the state with the country's economic development. The figure, book, garments, and background are modeled through dense intaglio engraving that rewards close examination of the original printed surface.
The Serie C designation appears clearly on the face, paired with the prefix C and all-zero serial numbers. These details preserve the visual organization of circulation currency while giving the specimen a precise series identity. The open watermark field contributes another structural element, balancing the heavily engraved allegorical side of the composition.
A large diagonal black SPECIMEN overprint crosses the central face. Two oval SPECIMEN DE LA RUE AND COMPANY LIMITED NO VALUE stamps reinforce the printer-controlled status of the note and frame the design from the upper left and lower right. The markings form an integrated administrative layer over the completed monetary design.
The reverse depicts a dense historical gathering before a monumental public building. Flags, architecture, and assembled citizens create a panoramic expression of civic memory and republican identity. The deep red printing gives the scene visual warmth and separates its narrative character from the more formal emblematic structure of the obverse.
The black SPECIMEN inscription and printer control stamp continue across the reverse, making the Serie C note a fully marked two-sided reference example. Printed by Thomas De La Rue and Company Limited, Specimen No. 11 preserves the artistic, legal, and administrative identity of the one hundred pesos denomination in one complete institutional document.