1961 Cuba 20 Pesos CIA Counterfeit Note PMG Gem Uncirculated 66 EPQ

Authentic CIA Counterfeit Notes

When our agents attended the 65th Annual Florida United Numismatists (FUN) Coin Show held January 9-12, 2020 in Orlando, Florida, they came across something so scarce and amazing that that they knew they had to snatch them up for out customers. It was a hoard of 21 Cuban 20 Pesos notes from 1961. But these are more than just notes printed the year of the infamous failed Bay of Pigs invasion. They’re also fake — and THAT’S what makes them so coveted by both historians and collectors!

What could possibly make fake notes, especially fake Cuban notes, so valuable? Well, not only were these notes printed in 1961 during the same year President John F. Kennedy authorized the ill-fated Bay of Pigs invasion to overthrow Fidel Castro’s Cuban Revolution, but they were actually given to the 1,400 Cubans exiles who the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) had trained and equipped for the invasion!

These soldiers were undertaking a covert mission — and so flashing gold or foreign currency could have spelled disaster. Instead, they took with them these counterfeit notes. According to one expert, each soldier was issued 20 of these notes On the front of the note is Camilo Cienfuegos, a Cuban Revolutionary who some suspect was killed by either the CIA or Castro. On the back is a depiction of Cuban troops in the jungle.

Were these notes intended to disrupt the Cuban economy? Fool Castro’s troops? Add credibility to cover stories used by the Cuban exiles? Did this small hoard come from one of the invaders who escaped capture? Who knows because when the invasion was launched on April 17, 1961 Castro had been tipped off and had his troops lying in wait. Badly outnumbered, the invasion forced surrendered within 24 hours with 114 killed and more than 1,100 taken prisoner.

According to Paper Money Guaranty (PMG), only 104 of these notes have ever been graded, and now you can secure one in impressive Gem Uncirculated 66 Excellent Paper Quality (66 EPQ) condition. Only one note is graded higher! Don’t miss this chance to add an authentic piece of Cold War memorabilia to your collection.