Bank Note: Mexico, 5 Pesos

The 5 peso banknotes issued by Banco de Sonora bear the face of the young Hortensia Corral Vélez, daughter of the bank's main shareholder. Ramón Corral was also governor of his state and vice president of Mexico. Maria Hortensia Corral Escalante was born in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico in 1893, making her approximately 5 years old when she was immortalized on the 5 and 10 pesos banknotes. Seeing as her father was vice president to the dictator Porfirio Diaz, he was obligated to adhere to the social norms erected by his superior, including the depiction of women to represent ideals of innocence, education, fidelity, and subordination. Her appearance on the Sonora banknotes plausibly played a part in the promotion of these ideals onto the nation. Hortensia resided in the United States throughout the 1930s in Chula Vista, San Diego. At the age of 90, she passed away in Mexico City in 1984.

Next to her effigy is that of the image of young Eros, and the Roman goddess of wisdom, Minerva. There is also reason to believe the bust on the farthest right is an allegory for strength, engraved by Charles Burt in 1872, nearly 30 years prior to the banknote’s issuance by the Banco de Sonora.

“1897-1911 Nd Mexico Banco de Sonora Five Pesos Banknote Crisp about Uncirculated.” Giamer Antiques and Collectibles. Accessed August 10, 2023. https://giamerantiquesandcollectibles.com/products/mexico-banco-de-sonora-five-pesos-banknote-no-date-1897-1911-pick-number-s419r-unissued-remainders-crisp-about-uncirculated?variant=42701349617915.

“5 Pesos, El Banco de Sonora.” Numista. Accessed August 10, 2023. https://es.numista.com/catalogue/note354787.html.

“Banknotes of Mexico 5 Pesos Bill 1897-1911 El Banco de Sonora.” World Banknotes & Coins. Accessed August 10, 2023. https://www.worldbanknotescoins.com/2013/05/banknotes-of-mexico-5-pesos-bill-el.html?m=0.

“Datos Relvantes Del Nuevo Billete de 1000 Pesos G.” Banco de México. Accessed August 10, 2023. https://www.banxico.org.mx/billetes-y-monedas/d/%7BE53145AB-3A19-397A-4876-FF0F45F2AC80%7D.PDF.

Gossman, Rafael Fierro. “La Casa de Don Ramón Corral Verdugo y Amparo Escalante En La 4° de Artes.” Grandes casas de México, June 3, 2017. https://grandescasasdemexico.blogspot.com/2017/06/la-casa-de-don-ramon-corral-verdugo-y.html.

Luna, Jesús. “The Public Career of Don Ramón Corral.” University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, August 1973. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc699728/citation/#top.

“Maria Hortensia Corral Escalante.” FamilySearch. Accessed August 10, 2023. https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/KVGQ-YXK/maria-hortensia-corral-escalante-1893-1984.

Museo Banco de México. “No. de Inventario: BIN12068,” Colección Numismática, accessed August 10, 2023, https://museobancodemexico.mx/LabNum/TemplateObjeto.html?BIN12068.

Prendergast, Simon. “$5 Notes of El Banco de Sonora.” Paper Money of Mexico. Accessed August 10, 2023. https://papermoneyofmexico.com/index.php/history/sonora/banco-sonora/5-banco-sonora.

Sanchiz, Javier, and Victor Gayol. “Genealogía de Hortensia Corral Escalante.” Geneanet. Accessed August 10, 2023. https://gw.geneanet.org/sanchiz?lang=es&n=corral%2Bescalante&oc=0&p=hortensia.