2 Lempiras 2000, Honduras
| in Krause book | Number: 80ab |
| Years of issue: | 14.12.2000 |
| Edition: | 8 644 488 |
| Signatures: | Unknown signature |
| Serie: | 1997 Issue |
| Specimen of: | 03.09.1998 |
| Material: | Cotton fiber |
| Size (mm): | 157 x 67 |
| Printer: | F. C. Oberthur, Chantepie |
* All pictures marked 
are increased partially by magnifying glass, the remaining open in full size by clicking on the image.
** The word "Specimen" is present only on some of electronic pictures, in accordance with banknote images publication rules of appropriate banks.
Description
Watermark:
Avers:
On left side is the coat of arms of Honduras.
The coat of arms of Honduras features the text "Republic of Honduras free sovereign and independent", topped with a cornucopia, a quiver of arrows, flanked by deciduous trees and limestone cliffs, with a Masonic eye at the center. The coat of arms of Honduras was accepted in 1825 and is valid today. It was slightly modified in 1935. It is similar to the coat of arms of Guatemala of 1843. The coat of arms shows the triangle coat of arms of the Federal Republic of Central America with a volcano between two golden towers in an oval. The towers stand for the defense readiness and the independence of the country. The triangle symbolizes equality and freedom. Behind it are a sun and a rainbow. Around the oval is the text Republica de Honduras Libre Soberana E Independiente, thus free, sovereign, independent Republic of Honduras. On the oval are two cornucopia and a bundle of arrows. The arrows remind of the native inhabitants of the country. Under the oval a landscape with oaks, Pine, tillage implements and devices for the mining industry is shown - symbols of the natural wealth of the country.
On right side is Dr. Marco Aurelio Soto.
Marco Aurelio Soto (13 November, 1846, Tegusigalpa — 25 February, 1908, Paris) was President of Honduras from 27 August 1876 until 19 October 1883. He was known as a liberal. He was a reforming President and had a great impact on the Honduras of his time, including the establishment of the Biblioteca Nacional de Honduras in 1880.
Dr. Marco Aurelio Soto was born in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. His parents were Dr. and Mrs. Maximo Soto Francisca Martínez. When he was nine years old he moved with his father, Dr. Don Maximo Soto to Guatemala, where he studied with brilliant success, and crowned his career as a lawyer.
As a very young man began to draw attention to their well-written literary and political articles, the latter inspired by the principles proclaimed by the revolution of 1871. General Justo Rufino Barrios Soto called Soto to the duties of a Sub-secretary of state, where he revealed remarkable talent. Shortly after the minister himself was relieved of office, Soto stayed in charge of the Ministry of the Interior, Justice and Ecclesiastical Affairs, to which he was soon permanently appointed.
Later he took on the duties of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Public Instruction. In this last position he organized the first public primary, secondary and vocational instruction to be founded on modern principles. In 1876, Soto was appointed Minister Plenipotentiary to Guatemala, To secure peace between Guatemala and El Salvador, a mission which he completed successfully, and signed the Soto-Ulloa Treaty in Santa Ana on 8 May.
Marco Aurelio Soto ruled Honduras in different periods. In 1876 he served as interim president. In 1877 he was constitutional president, a period that lasted until 1883 after his re-election. During his administration and with the assistance of Ramon Rosa, Soto launched liberal reforms. These reforms included administrative, political, economic and social attempts to alleviate the disastrous situation of Honduras.
President Soto sought to improve lines of communication and mail service, including building some railroads, a telegraph system and launched an unprecedented education program in the country. In addition, he moved the capital to Tegucigalpa. Despite the progress made during the administration Soto, Honduras remained quite underdeveloped as it lacked export products like coffee to pay for the investment necessary to improve infrastructure.
Soto's presidency was threatened by the Guatemalan government of Justo Rufino Barrios, and for this reason he fled the country, leaving it in the hands of a council of ministers. 
Inscription on the top: "REPUBLICA DE HONDURAS. C.A. / BANCO CENTRAL DE HONDURAS".
Lower is denomination 2 / DOS LEMPIRAS in 2 lines.
Denominations in numerals are in all corners.
Revers:
City view of Amapala, El Tigre Island, on the Pacific coast of Honduras. In this city took place the inauguration of Dr. Marco Aurelio Soto as the president of Honduras.
Amapala is a municipality in the Honduran department of Valle.
It is formed by El Tigre Island and its satellite islets and rocks in the Gulf of Fonseca. It has an area of 75.2 km². Thanks to a natural deep channel, and despite lacking modern infrastructure, Amapala long served as the main Honduran port in the Pacific Ocean.
Beginning in the late XIX century, Amapala was gradually replaced by the port of San Lorenzo on the mainland. A description of the town in 1881 can be found in the book "A Lady's Ride Across Spanish Honduras" by Mary Lester (a.k.a. Mary Soltera). It was intended to be the capital of the Republic of Central America in the late 1890s.
El Tigre is an island located in the Gulf of Fonseca, a body of water on the Pacific coast of Central America. The island is a conical basaltic stratovolcano and the southernmost volcano in Honduras. It belongs to Valle department. Together Isla Zacate Grande, Isla Comandante and a few tiny satellite islets and rocks, it forms the municipality of Amapala, with an area of 75.2 km².
Three countries, Honduras, El Salvador, and Nicaragua, have coastline along the Gulf of Fonseca, and all three have been involved in a lengthy dispute over the rights to the gulf and the islands located there within. In 1992, a chamber of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) decided the Land, Island and Maritime Frontier Dispute, of which the gulf dispute was a part. The ICJ determined that El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua were to share control of the Gulf of Fonseca. El Salvador was awarded the islands of Meanguera and Meanguerita, and Honduras was awarded the island of El Tigre.
Top - Inscription: "BANCO CENTRAL DE HONDURAS".
Denominations in numerals are repeated five times.
Comments:
If you find my work useful I will be grateful for any help in supporting the site.
-
PayPal
-
For users of European Union banking system