Click on the Map for a larger view

The coast of Venezeula was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1498 and was first settled by the Spanish in 1528. Venezuela was part of New Grenada when it was a Spanish Colony. New Grenada gained its independence on June 1, 1816, and Venezeula was incorporated into Gran Colombia on December 17, 1819. Venezuela gained its independence from January 13, 1830, and the Republic of Venezuela was declared on October 24, 1830.

Venezuela used Spanish Escudos (XESE) while it was a Spanish Colony and after it gained its independence. Europeans also used pearls as a medium of exchange. The first mint was established in Caracas in 1802. Some coins were issued for Greater Colombia in 1829. The Venezuela Peso was introduced in 1843 with 1 Peso divisible into 10 Reales or 100 Centavos. Venezuela’s first coins were actually minted in Britain. Venezuela created the Venezolano (VEV) in 1873 equal to 1 Peso or 5 French Francs, and divisible into 100 Centavos. Venezuela replaced the Venezolano with the Bolivar (VEB) in 1887, equal to 1/5 Venezolano or 1 French Franc. On January 1, 2008 Venezuela revalued the Bolivar, replacing it with the Bolivar Fuerte (VEF) with one Bolivar Fuerte equal to 1000 Bolivares. The Bolivar is divisible into 100 Centimos.

Private banks had the right to issue banknotes in Venezuela until 1940 when the Banco Central de Venezuela was established and became the sole note-issuing authority in Venezuela.

Here is a 10 Bolivares note printed in 1990. The note is purple on light green and lilac underprint. The obverse features portraits of Simon Bolivar, who was one of the most important leaders of Hispanic America's successful struggle for independence from Spain, and Antonia Jose de Sucre, who was a South American independence leader and one of Simón Bolívar's closest friends, generals and statesmen. The reverse depicts the monument to the battle of carabobo.

• Krause# Pick-61b

This is a 5 Bolivares note printed in 1989. The note is red on multicolored underprint. The obverse features Simon Bolivar, who was President of Peru from 1824 to 1826 and President of Bolivia from 1825 to 1826, and Francisco de Miranda, commonly known as Francisco de Miranda, was a Venezuelan revolutionary. The reverse depicts the National Pantheon in the center and the coat of arms to the left. The note is Lithographed.

• Krause# Pick-70b

Here is a 2 Bolivares dated 2007.

• Krause# Pick-