Banknote Database made by collectors, for collectors
Brazil (blurry)
March 12, 2023 @ 20:26
Brazil currently produces all banknotes in-house, at the Casa da Moeda in Rio de Janeiro. The organization has also produced banknotes for Argentina, Paraguay, and Venezuela. The country’s notes began in the typical fashion. Early banknotes for the Banco do Brasil were produced by the American Bank Note Company and consisted of the typical designs. Guilloche patterns with ornamental frames, a portrait of a person, and a building. They were heavily inspired by the design of US dollars. Later releases were printed in the UK at De La Rue, as well, but kept the traditional look. Early personalities featured were all either military, regal, or politicians (except for one explorer, and later one pilot). The country’s paper money was entirely imported, despite the fact that a mint had existed there since the 17th century.
The first attempt to bring production to the country took place with the 5 Cruzeiro note issued in 1961. The “Indian Head” banknote was designed by Orlando Maia but paper had to be imported. The shelf life of the design and usage was short, only two years, because of production issues and poor ink quality. It was an example of poor management, chaos, and graft at the mint, which culminated in the employees of the Casa da Mode striking in 1963. This mirrored the rest of the country, which saw a coup install a military regime in 1964. One of their first acts was to pass Law No. 4510 which created a goal of domestic production for all Brazilian money. The government also almost immediately needed to create stability and an image of legitimacy so they did what a lot of countries do, they introduced a new currency and made sure it portrayed them nicely. A contest was held in 1965 to find a designer and it was won by Aloísio Sergio Magalhães. Magalhães’s background in theater costume design is reminiscent of Australia’s choice of a furniture designer for their first dollars earlier in the decade. This was the era of countries discovering they could form a national identity based on the motifs chosen for their money.
The 1972 commemorative 500 Cruzeiro banknote was the first designed entirely in Brazil, after the Casa Da Moeda had purchased equipment and training from De La Rue Giori in Switzerland. The obverse features faces of typical Brazilians, all men. One was a bank employee, two of the faces come from anthropology textbooks. The denomination appears duplicated to both sides, an idea that the designer got from playing cards. He’d later use that idea on an entire series of banknotes with an unintended side effect. The visual narrative on the reverse shows Brazil boldly headed forward into the future. The series of maps proceeds historically from right to left, culminating in the military government’s plan to develop and integrate the country. The issue was meant to mark 150 years of independence, and was well received by the public. Magalhães was known for his use of a moiré pattern, blurred lines that make your eyes hurt, and are very hard to counterfeit. Think of an old movie scene where someone has done lots of drugs.
. 
Brazil's 1972 commemorative 500 Cruzeiro banknote was the first produced entirely within the boundaries of Brazil. The flipped "500" on the obverse would go on to dictate later design language in the country, much to the benefit of counterfeiters.
Magalhães designed Brazilian banknotes throughout the 1970s with a traditional theme of consistency, nationalism, and militarism. The look was modern, but the idea was a throwback. The country issued a new series in 1981 that was the culmination of military imagery and projection of national collective achievements. The designs were mirrored with the idea that it would make it easier to facilitate identification of the note for the user. Good idea, except for the fact that counterfeiters only had to replicate half of it. The series became some of the most counterfeited in the world during the early 1980s; even during periods where they rapidly declined in value. Magalhães died almost immediately after designing the series, at the early age of 54. His birthday, November 5, is celebrated as “Graphic Designer’s Day” in Brazil. Brazilian banknote design changed radically after his death and, along with Uruguay, was the first to break away from military and nationalistic imagery beginning in the early 1980s. During this time, the country was ruled by a military dictatorship. Most South American nations during the 20th century heavily leaned on military imagery on banknotes. In fact, in 1980 every Spanish or Portuguese speaking country in South America had at least one general on a banknote. The last Magalhães designed note came out in September of 1981, the 5,000 cruzeiros which featured military leader Marechal Castelo Branco. It was legal tender until 1989. The next banknote design was released due to inflation and was came out in November of 1984. It marked a sea change in the iconography of banknotes across South America.
At left, a figure of Brazilian Banknotes from 1970 to 1984, all designed by Aloísio Magalhães. While modern, the 1970s series leant heavily on military and nationist themes. The consistent design language was modern in appearance but traditional in execution, like US Dollars. After the death of Magalhães inflation required new banknote designs. Beginning in 1984, Álvaro Alves Martins began the design of Brazilian banknotes and started a new design language that would last for the next 10 roller coaster years.