Philippines 5 Piso 1978, P-160a, UNC

Andres Bonifacio's portrait opens onto the Katipunan initiation scene, binding individual revolutionary leadership to collective oath and action.

Design & Symbolism

Obverse

Andres Bonifacio occupies the left panel in green and brown engraving, his forward-facing portrait set beside Filipino bank text and the Ang Bagong Lipunan overprint. The revised Bangko Sentral seal and denomination settle into the lower corners, while the pale watermark field keeps the right side open. A segmented solid security thread crosses the patterned ground without breaking the portrait's strong vertical presence.

Reverse

Members of the Katipunan gather around a table to sign their names in blood, forming a compressed historical scene across the reverse. A flag, crossed blades and a skull intensify the revolutionary imagery, while dark green ornament and the denomination contain it within the monetary frame. The group replaces the stillness of official portraiture with ritual, secrecy and collective commitment.

Collector’s Insight

For collectors, P-160a is the opening Marcos-Licaros form of the revised-seal five-piso type, identified by its black serial numbers. Later varieties introduce Jaime Laya, red numbering and another change of governor, so this issue establishes the baseline against which the sequence is read. The Bonifacio and Katipunan pairing also gives the denomination unusual narrative unity, linking the individual on the front directly to the movement depicted on the back.

Shipping & Guarantee

Each banknote is carefully handled and securely packed to ensure safe delivery. Authenticity is guaranteed.

Serial number and prefix may vary from the reference image.