English Series

The English Series were Philippine banknotes and coins that circulated from 1949 to 1969. It was the first banknote and coin series of the newly established Central Bank of the Philippines and was the only banknote and coin series of the Philippine peso to use English as its language for all of its banknotes and coins.

Banknotes

English Series
Image Value Dimensions Main Color Description Year [1]
Obverse Reverse Obverse Reverse First issue Withdrawal
Small denomination notes
5 centavos 5 centavos 5 centavos 108 mm × 55 mm Red Bank title, bank seal, value, serial number "PHILIPPINES", value April 15, 1951 June 30, 1958 January 5, 1970
10 centavos 10 centavos 10 centavos Maroon
20 centavos 20 centavos 20 centavos Green
50 centavos Blue
1⁄2 peso 130 mm × 60 mm Green Mt. Mayon and three men riding on a carabao-drawn cart July 1, 1958 February 28, 1969
Large denomination notes
1 pesos ₱1 162 mm × 67 mm Gray Apolinario Mabini Barasoain Church April 15, 1951 February 28, 1974
2 pesos ₱2 Blue José Rizal Landing of Magellan in the Philippines
5 pesos 5 pesos ₱5 Golden yellow Marcelo H. del Pilar and Graciano Lopez Jaena La Solidaridad
10 pesos ₱10 Brown Fathers Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos and Jacinto Zamora Urdaneta and Legaspi Monument
20 pesos 20 pesos ₱20 Orange Andres Bonifacio and Emilio Jacinto Cartilla of the Katipunan and the Balintawak Monument
50 pesos ₱50 Red Antonio Luna Blood compact between Sikatuna and Legaspi
100 pesos ₱100 Yellow Tandang Sora Regimental flags and the veterans
200 pesos ₱200 Green Manuel L. Quezon Legislative Building December 31, 1959
500 pesos 500 pesos ₱500 Violet Manuel Roxas Former Central Bank Building
For table standards, see the banknote specification table.

Coins

English Series
Image Face Value Technical parameters Description Total Mintage [2] Date of
Obverse Reverse Diameter Thickness Mass Composition Edge Obverse Reverse issue demonetization
1¢ 19 mm 1.45 mm 3.08 g Bronze Plain Figure of a man seated beside an anvil holding a hammer and Mt. Mayon, year of minting Bank title and coat of arms 220,000,000 July 1, 1958 August 31, 1979
5¢ 21.0 mm 1.7 mm 1.8 g Brass Plain Figure of a man seated beside an anvil holding a hammer and Mt. Mayon, year of minting Bank title and coat of arms 260,000,000 July 1, 1958 August 31, 1979
10¢ 17.9 mm 1.19 mm 2.04 g Nickel-brass Reeded Lady Liberty striking an anvil with a hammer and Mt. Mayon, year of minting Bank title and coat of arms 390,000,000 July 1, 1958 January 2, 1998
25¢ 24 mm 1.6 mm 5 g 199,800,800 August 31, 1979
50¢ 30.3 mm 10 g 30,000,000

References

  1. ^ "English Series (1949-1974)". Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. Archived from the original on June 11, 2024. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
  2. ^ Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 42nd Edition. Krause Publications. 2015. ISBN 978-1-4402-4039-3.