Certified Collectibles Group LLC

10/20/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/20/2026 08:13

PMG Note of the Month: Spain 500 Pesetas

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Country: Spain

Catalog Number: 142a

Date: 1951 (ND 1952)

Denomination: 500 Pesetas

Varieties: Specimens are also listed in the PMG Population Report.

What makes it special? The front of this note shows Spanish sculptor Mariano Benlliure, whose most famous works included monuments and tombs. The back of this note shows the Mausoleum of Julian Gayarre, a popular and widely loved Spanish opera singer. The white marble part on the bottom resembles a sarcophagus and is lined with children singing. Atop the sarcophagus are bronze sculptures of Harmony and Melody raising up a figurative coffin of the tenor. Learn more about other elements of its design here.

Did you know? The mausoleum is in a cemetery in Gayarre's hometown of Roncal, Navarra, which is in the Pyrennes near the French border. He died in January 1890 at age 45, just a few weeks after performing in Madrid. His letters to his family are important historical artifacts for linguists, since they were written in his native Roncalese, a now-extinct Basque dialect.

Total graded by PMG: As of mid-October 2026, the PMG Population Report shows 368 issued examples of this note, along with two Specimens.

PMG median grade: PMG 64 Choice Uncirculated.

PMG highest graded: Two examples are graded PMG 68 Superb Gem Uncirculated EPQ.

Sales highlight: The Serial Number 1 example of this note, graded PMG 30 Very Fine, realized $2,640 at a Heritage Auctions sale in 2021. An example graded PMG 66 Gem Uncirculated EPQ realized $492 in June 2021 through the same auction house.

PMG Registry: The most competitive category for Spain is Banco de Espana, 1925-1971(1974) Issues, Type Set, P69-P154, Issued Notes, where Banknoten's Spain, Second Republic, 1925-1974 has an example of Pick# 142a graded PMG 65 Gem Uncirculated EPQ.

Previous Notes of the Month:

Certified Collectibles Group LLC published this content on October 20, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on October 20, 2026 at 14:13 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]