Cuba Banknotes Catalog

The history of banknotes in Cuba is a fascinating journey through the island's economic and political evolution. From its first issues to the present day, Cuban paper money has reflected the changes and challenges faced by the Caribbean country.

Current banknotes in circulation

Cuba currently uses the Cuban peso (CUP) as its official currency. Banknotes in circulation include denominations of 1, 3, 5, 10, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1000 pesos. These bills feature designs honoring historical figures and emblematic places of the island, such as José Martí, Che Guevara and the Havana Capitol. In 2021, a monetary reform was carried out that eliminated the convertible peso (CUC) and unified the national currency.

Historical banknotes and milestones in Cuban banknote production

The first Cuban banknotes were issued in 1857 by the Banco Español de La Habana. During colonial times, banknotes of the Banco Español de la Isla de Cuba circulated. After independence, the Cuban peso was introduced in 1915. An important milestone was the creation of the Banco Nacional de Cuba in 1948, which took over the issuance of banknotes. With the Cuban Revolution in 1959, there were significant changes in the design of banknotes, reflecting the country's new ideology. The introduction of the convertible peso in 1994 and its subsequent elimination in 2021 marked crucial moments in Cuba's monetary history.