Issued by the Banco de la República in 2020, this commemorative banknote celebrates Gabriel García Márquez, Colombia’s Nobel Prize-winning author. The obverse shows his smiling portrait alongside imagery inspired by his literary works.
The reverse features a scene of the Caribbean coast, including a group of people dancing cumbia, representing Colombia’s cultural richness and coastal heritage. Printed on high-quality cotton paper, it measures 153 × 66 mm and incorporates advanced security features such as a watermark of García Márquez, color-shifting ink, a windowed security thread, and microtext.
Obverse
Dark blue and dark purple print on pale blue and purple underprint; serial numbers black.
At centre, a hummingbird and a flower printed in holographic colour-shifting ink. Bust of writer Gabriel García Márquez at right.
Script: Latin
Lettering:
50 MIL
PESOS
BANCO DE LA REPÚBLICA
COLOMBIA
CINCUENTA MIL
PESOS
COLIBRÍ PIQUICORTO
Ramphomicron dorsale
GABRIEL GARCÍA MÁRQUEZ
PREMIO NOBEL DE LITERATURA (1982)
Translation:
Bank of the Republic of Colombia
Fifty Thousand Pesos.
Short-billed hummingbird
Ramphomicron dorsale
Gabriel García Márquez
Nobel Prize of Literature (1982)
Reverse
Dark blue, magenta, and dark purple print on pale blue and purple underprint.
Scene of indigenous people at Ciudad Perdida, Sierra Nevada de Santa Maria at left.
At top-right, a quote by Gabriel García Márquez and bank coat of arms.
Script: Latin
Lettering:
50 MIL
PESOS
CINCUENTA MIL
PESOS
CIUDAD PERDIDA,
SIERRA NEVADA DE SANTA MARIA
BURGAO
Cittarium pica
LA SOLEDAD DE AMÉRICA LATINA
“UNA NUEVA Y ARRASADORA UTOPÍA DE LA VIDA, DONDE NADIE PUEDA DECIOIR POR OTROS HASTA LA FORMA DE MORIR, DONDE DE VERAS SEA CIERTO EL AMOR Y SEA POSIBLE LA FELICIDAD, Y DONDE LAS ESTIRPES CONDENADAS A CIEN AÑOS DE SOLEDAD TENGAN POR FIN Y PARA SIEMPRE UNA SEGUNDA OPORTUNIDAD SOBRE LA TIERRA.”
GABRIEL GARCÍA MÁRQUEZ
Translation:
Fifty Thousand Pesos.
Lost city, Sierra Nevada de Santa Maria
Burgao
Cittarium pica
The loneliness of Latin America
“A new and devastating utopia of life, where no one can decide for others even the way they die, where love is truly true and happiness is possible, and where the lineages condemned to a hundred years of loneliness will finally and forever have a second chance on earth.”
Gabriel García Márquez
Watermark
Portrait of Gabriel García Márquez and electrotype denomination “50”
© RuibaiK (CC BY-NC)
Printer
Imprenta de Billetes, Bogotá, Colombia
Comments
NOTE:
Bank of the Republic, Colombia lists quantity of notes received from printer each year, but not the amount of notes produced with each date. Therefore it is not possible to list amount printed on years lines. Bank’s information can be seen HERE.
UV activity:
© Kiet Tran
Features
| Issuer | Colombia |
|---|---|
| Issuing bank | Banco de la Republica de Colombia |
| Ruling authority | Republic (1886-date) |
| Type | Standard circulation banknotes |
| Years | 2015-2021 |
| Value | 50 000 Pesos 50 000 COP = USD 12 |
| Currency | Peso decimalized (1847-date) |
| Composition | Paper |
| Size | 148 × 66 mm |
| Shape | Rectangular |
| Issued | 19 August 2016 |
