Colombia Banknotes: History, Notable Notes & Collecting Guide
Colombia turned its everyday money into a gallery. The current peso series puts the country's greatest novelist, its artists and scientists, and its wildest landscapes on notes that are as collectible as they are colorful.
Colombian peso (COP) Banco de la Republica, 1923 Garcia Marquez on the 50,000 The colorful 2016 series
Last updated: July 2026
Colombia's currency is the peso, and what makes its banknotes stand out is the country's current series: a set of vivid, large-denomination notes issued from 2016 that put Colombian writers, artists, scientists, and landscapes on everyday money. Issued by the Banco de la Republica, the nation's central bank since 1923, these are affordable, easy-to-find notes with real cultural weight, which is exactly why they make such a rewarding collecting area. This hub covers the peso's history, the notes collectors prize, and how to start a Colombia collection from a source-first dealer.
What is the history of the Colombian peso and the Banco de la Republica?
The peso has been Colombia's currency since the 19th century, when it replaced the colonial real. For its early life it circulated as coins and as notes issued by a patchwork of private and regional banks, until Colombia centralized its money in the 20th century. In 1923 the government created the Banco de la Republica, the country's central bank, and gave it the sole right to issue currency. Every Colombian banknote since has carried its name.
Decades of moderate inflation gradually pushed denominations upward, which is why Colombians count everyday prices in thousands of pesos rather than in single units. That long climb is what produced the country's large-format modern notes, running from the 1,000 up to the 100,000, without Colombia ever falling into hyperinflation. The government has periodically discussed removing three zeros from the peso to simplify prices, but it has not done so, and the peso remains the currency in use today.
Which Colombian banknotes are most collectible?
For collectors, the heart of a Colombia collection is the family of notes the Banco de la Republica introduced beginning in 2016. Redesigned from the ground up, this series is celebrated for its bold color and for the people it honors: instead of only presidents and generals, it features a Nobel-winning novelist, a poet, a painter, and an anthropologist alongside two former heads of state. The table below maps the modern family. It stays general on purpose, since individual notes vary by series year, signature, and condition.
| Denomination | Front portrait | Why collectors notice it |
|---|---|---|
| 2,000 pesos | Debora Arango | The pioneering Colombian painter, one of two women featured in the modern family. |
| 5,000 pesos | Jose Asuncion Silva | A leading poet of Latin American Modernismo, honoring Colombia's literary tradition. |
| 10,000 pesos | Virginia Gutierrez de Pineda | A trailblazing anthropologist; the reverse turns to the Colombian Amazon. |
| 20,000 pesos | Alfonso Lopez Michelsen | A former president of Colombia, part of the series' political thread. |
| 50,000 pesos | Gabriel Garcia Marquez | The Nobel laureate novelist, the collection's headline note. |
| 100,000 pesos | Carlos Lleras Restrepo | The highest circulating denomination, introduced in 2016, paired with the Cocora Valley wax palms, Colombia's national tree. |
A few notes are conversation pieces in their own right. The 50,000 peso note honoring Gabriel Garcia Marquez, the Colombian author who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1982, is the collection's headline: its design nods to One Hundred Years of Solitude, the novel that made him one of the most widely read writers in the Spanish language. The 100,000 peso note, the highest circulating denomination, pairs former president Carlos Lleras Restrepo with the towering wax palms of the Cocora Valley, Colombia's national tree. And because the series devotes its reverses to Colombian nature and heritage, a full set doubles as a tour of the country's landscapes.
How do you start collecting Colombia banknotes?
Start with one note or one theme that speaks to you, in the best condition you can find, from a dealer that documents where its notes come from. The modern Colombian series is an ideal beginner's area: the notes are recent, affordable, and readily available in crisp Uncirculated condition. Uncirculated (UNC) sits at the top of the letter-grade ladder that runs UNC, AU, XF, VF, F, VG, G.
Two habits protect a collection from the start. First, learn how grading works so you can judge condition with confidence: our banknote grading guide explains the 1 to 70 numerical scale used by PMG and PCGS and what EPQ and PPQ mean. Second, collect with a plan. Our guide to collecting world banknotes covers how to choose a theme, whether that is a single-country run like Colombia or a broader set. If you want independent confirmation of grade and authenticity, choose a note certified by PMG or PCGS and sealed in a tamper-evident holder.
Where can you buy Colombia banknotes?
Buy from a source-first dealer that inspects every note and stands behind it in writing. Planet Banknote stocks Colombia notes rather than quoting a single market price, because inventory, series, and grades change. Rather than post figures that would go stale, we point you to the live category:
Every note Planet Banknote sells passes our Planet Banknote Verified inspection and ships with a free Certificate of Authenticity, so you have documented recourse tied to a named, reachable business. To explore more country hubs and collecting references, browse the Planet Banknote reference library.
Frequently asked questions
What currency does Colombia use?
Colombia's official currency is the peso, issued by the Banco de la Republica, the country's central bank. The peso has been Colombia's currency since the 19th century, when it replaced the colonial real, and it remains in use today. Everyday prices are counted in thousands of pesos, which is why the country's banknotes reach denominations as high as 100,000.
Who is on Colombian banknotes?
The family of notes introduced from 2016 features Colombian cultural and political figures. The 50,000 peso note honors the Nobel laureate author Gabriel Garcia Marquez, the 100,000 shows former president Carlos Lleras Restrepo, the 20,000 former president Alfonso Lopez Michelsen, the 10,000 the anthropologist Virginia Gutierrez de Pineda, the 5,000 the poet Jose Asuncion Silva, and the 2,000 the painter Debora Arango. The reverses are devoted to Colombian landscapes and wildlife.
What is the highest-denomination Colombian banknote?
The 100,000 peso note is the highest circulating denomination. It was introduced in 2016 as part of the current family of notes and features former president Carlos Lleras Restrepo on the front and the wax palms of the Cocora Valley, Colombia's national tree, on the back. Despite the large number, Colombia has never experienced hyperinflation; the high figure reflects decades of moderate inflation rather than a currency collapse.
Are Colombian peso notes worth collecting?
Yes, for their design, story, and affordability. The modern series is prized for its vivid color and for honoring writers, artists, and scientists rather than only statesmen, and the notes are recent enough to be found in crisp Uncirculated condition. Value depends on condition, series, and demand rather than face value. Buying from a source-first dealer and, where you want independent confirmation, choosing PMG or PCGS certified notes protects that value.
Who issues Colombia's banknotes?
The Banco de la Republica, Colombia's central bank, issues the country's banknotes. It was created in 1923 and given the sole right to issue currency, and its name has appeared on every Colombian banknote since. Today it is responsible for the modern peso series that collectors know for its color and its cultural portraits.
Planet Banknote is a family-owned dealership in Sarasota, Florida, founded in 2021. Every note is sourced direct from mints, central banks, and authorized distributors, inspected through our Planet Banknote Verified process, and ships with a free Certificate of Authenticity. US orders ship free via USPS Priority, and every order includes a free bonus gift.