The 100-peso banknote in circulation in Mexico is part of the bank's current G Series, introduced in 2018. 

The vertical format note is printed on polymer and features one of Mexico's national heroines and poet/writer, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz. The banknote was issued on November 12, 2020 and won the International Bank Note Society's ( https://www.theibns.org/joomla/index.php ) prestigious "Bank Note of the Year Award" for the year 2020.

 

Since its issuance, there have been five print orders, each with one or more print runs (one print run contains six prefixes). All notes are printed at the Banco de México's two printing works, one in Mexico City and the other in Guadalajara. A new date appears on the banknote with each new print order:

- 8. MAY. 2020: prefix letters AA-AM
- 31. AGO. 2020: prefix letters AN-AT
- 6. ENE. 2021: prefix letters AU-BM
- 21. MAY. 2021: prefix letters BN-BZ
- 24. MAY. 2021: prefix letters CA-CF

 

All current Mexican banknotes contain the signature of the Chief Cashier (Alejandro Alegre Rabiela) on the right and a signature of one of the five members of the Governing Board on the left. There are five signature varieties for each date of the 100-peso banknote. For the first two dates (2020), the board members are:

- Alejandro Díaz de León Carrillo
- Javier Guzmán Calafell
- Irene Espinosa Cantellano
- Jonathan Ernest Heath Constable
- Gerardo Esquivel Hernández.

 

For the 2021-dated notes, the board members are:

- Alejandro Díaz de León Carrillo
- Irene Espinosa Cantellano
- Jonathan Ernest Heath Constable
- Gerardo Esquivel Hernández
- Galia Borja Gómez.

 

 

 

Mexican specialist, Cedrian López Bosch, has discovered that the 21. MAY. 2021-dated banknotes, series BN-BT, were printed on the Safeguard® polymer substrate, produced by De La Rue. The 21. MAY. 2021-dated banknotes, series BU-BZ, and all other dates have been printed on the Guardian™ polymer substrate, produced by CCL Secure. Both substrates are transparent and appear identical to the naked eye, but are entirely different products. When banknotes are printed, ink is applied to the substrate and it dries. Depending on the substrate type, the ink dries in different ways and this can be noticeable to the naked eye. We have already seen the substrate varieties for (and visible differences on) the £20 and £50 banknotes issued by the Bank of England. And now we have a new example of different substrates for the same issue with visible differences.

 

For the 100-peso banknote, the substrate difference is most apparent by looking at the transparent window at the top right of the banknote. Place the banknote against a black background and then take a look:

- The arch and columns in the transparent window are barely visible on the Safeguard® variety. They are quite prominent on the Guardian™ variety.
- The top butterfly is much darker on the Safeguard® variety and lighter and less distinct on the Guardian™ variety.
Do you see any other visible differences between the two substrates, either on the front or the bank of the banknotes?

 

The banknote can also be tested by swiping the part of the banknote with the transparent window through one of the Verus™ H devices, which identifies the Guardian™ substrate with a green light and a positive sound. If the substrate is not Guardian™, then you'll get a red light and a negative sound.

 

Keep on the lookout for further substrate varieties, for Mexico and other countries as well!