1958 & 60 Cuban bills featuring Cuban military greats - smuggled out after Castro

[stratasfan]

Thought I'd share these! These are two Cuban bills - the 5 Peso one is from 1960 and the 10 Peso one is from 1958 (so the year before and after Castro took power).

 

The 5 Peso bill features Maximo Gomez, a General during the Ten Years' War and the Cuban War of Independance (Spanish-American War). He was offered a chance to run for President, but refused, being military minded, and not politically bent.

 

The 10 Peso bill features Carlos Manuel de Cespedes, who was called the "Father of the Motherland". His actions led to the start of the Ten Years' War which ultimately gained Cuba her freedom. That bill also features the signature of the infamous Che, as he was bank president at the time.

 

My Grandparents (and Dad and his sister) and Great-Grandparents were plantation owners in Cuba before Castro, and worked for years at escaping, eventually all joining in FLA in the 1960s. These bills are some of the ones that were smuggled into the US by relatives and friends. They always expected to return to Cuba, so were trying to get as much money out as they could.

 

I have other bills, but these are so cool as they feature Cuban military leaders! Also, the story behind how they got here is cool, too!

 

 

 

[Bob Hudson]

That bill also features the signature of the infamous Che, as he was bank president at the time.

 

Never imagained he'd been a banker and got to sign the money.