Argentina Currency & Banknote Values

Argentina has its roots in Spanish colonization of the region during the 16th century. Argentina rose as the successor state of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, a Spanish overseas viceroyalty founded in 1776. The declaration and fight for independence (1810 - 1818) was followed by an extended civil war that lasted until 1861, culminating in the country’s reorganization as a federation of provinces with Buenos Aires as its capital city. Beginning in 1813, there was a chaotic mix of local, private, and provincial banks issuing notes in Argentina. On 5 November 1881, Law 1130 established the peso moneda nacional (peso national currency), commonly referred to simply as the peso, each divided into 100 centavos. As its name implies, the peso moneda nacional was the first currency good throughout the country.