Banknote Brazil 10 Reais - 500th anniversary of Brasil - Polymer - 2000 - Serial AD

This commemorative 10 Reais banknote was issued in 2000 to mark the 500th anniversary of the discovery of Brazil. It is made of polymer, which gives it increased durability compared to traditional paper banknotes. The banknote belongs to the AD series.

The front of the banknote features a dominant blue and orange color palette, achieved through a combination of intaglio and offset printing techniques. The central element is a representation of Pedro Álvares Cabral, the Portuguese navigator credited with the discovery of Brazil in 1500. Next to him is a reproduction of the "Terra Brasilis" map, one of the earliest cartographies of the Brazilian territory. The background on the left side of the banknote incorporates a section of the letter from Pero Vaz de Caminha addressed to King Manuel I of Portugal. This document is considered the first written testimony of Brazilian history, offering a description of the newly discovered land.

The back of the banknote features a polychrome composition also made in intaglio and offset. It features a stylized representation of the map of Brazil, formed by an assembly of diverse images. These images include faces representing the different ethnic groups that make up the Brazilian population, including indigenous people, people of European origin, people of African descent, and mixed-race people. This iconography aims to illustrate the ethnic and cultural diversity of contemporary Brazil.

The dimensions of the banknote are 140 mm in length and 65 mm in width.