El Boletin Numismatico
BILLETES REVOLUCIONARIOS DE LA REVOLUTIONARY BILLS OF THE
"COLUMNA GALVEZ TOSCANO" "GALVEZ TOSCANO COLUMN"
IGNACIO DE JESUS sANCHEZ MONTES
Los numerosos billetes que se pusieron en
circulaci6n durante la revoluci6n mexicana
fueron emitidos bajo muy diversas
circunstancias y por un sin numero de emisores,
desde gobiemos provisionales y partidas de
revolucionarios hasta "bandoleros "que se
hacian pasar por combatientes , pasando por
comerciantes y hacendados, que ante la
escasez de moneda fraccionaria y el rechazo a
las emisiones de los diferentes bandos se vieron
en la necesidad de mandar imprimir su propio
papel moneda para facilitar las transacciones
comerciales. El lapso de tiempo en el que
circularon fue muy variable. Muchas de estas
piezas que hoy son la delicia de los
coleccionistas fueron causantes en su epoca, no
solo del descontento entre sus antiguos
propietarios por la incertidumbre de su validez y
en muchos casos por su imposici6n, sino que
fueron para algunos hasta la causa de la perdida
de sus fortunas.
De algunos de estos "bilimbiques" coma el
ingenio popular los llam6, se ignora quien y
cuando los emiti6, de otros se tiene informaci6n
err6nea o se desconoce su procedencia. Es por
ello que considero pueda ser def interes de los
lectores conocer bajo que circunstancias se
hicieron los billetes sahuayenses conocidos
como "Columna Galvez Toscano". Ojala que los
coleccionistas poseedores de estas piezas
puedan enriquecer el presente articulo,
informando sobre las caracteristicas de estas
piezas y sus diferentes variedades.
ANTECEDENTES
Al inicio de la Revoluci6n Mexicana en el
Occidente de Michoacan el linico
pronunciamiento en contra del gobierno
porfirista se da en Zamora en mayo de 1911,
donde en forma pacifica se eligen nuevas
autoridades. Sahuayo queen esa epoca era una
villa de 8,302 habitantes qued6 asi "enrolada
dentro de las huestes maderistas" (L. Gonzalez,
Sahuayo, pag. 143).
( 18)
The numerous bills that were put into circulation
during the Mexican revolution were issued under
many different circumstances and by innumerable
issuers from provisional governments and
revolutionary parties to "bandoleros" (bandits)
who passed themselves off as combatants,
passing to store keepers and ranchers, who found
it necessary to print their own paper money in
order to facilitate commercial transactions in view
of the scarcity of fractional coins and the rejection
of the money of the different revolutionary groups.
The period of time of circulation was very variable.
Many of these pieces that today are prizes for the
collectors were at that time causes, not only of
discontent among the former owners due to the
uncertanty of their value and in many cases for
their imposition, but also were the cause for some
to lose their fortunes.
Regarding these "bilimbiques", as they were
popularly called, we do not know who issued some
of them or in what quantity, of others we have
erroneous information or we do not know where
they came from. For this reason, I think that the
readers may be interested in knowing the
circumstances under which the bills of Sahuayo,
known as the Galvez Toscano Column, were
made. I hope that the collectors who have these
pieces can enrich the present article by informing
their characteristics and the different varieties.
ANTECEDENTS
At the beginning of the Mexican Revolution, the
only denunciation of the Porfirista government
made in the western part of Michoacan was in
Zamora during May 1911, where new authorities
were peacefully elected. At that time Sahuayo, a
village of 8,302 inhabitants, was thus included in
the Madero area. (L. Gonzalez, Sahuayo, pg.
143).
It was not until June 19, 1914, when 100
Carrancista revolutionaries entered Sahuayo
under the command of General Jose Maria
Morales Ibarra, with whom the citizens reached an
agreement. Morales later went to Jiquilpan
leaving a force of 40 men in the village. On June 22
General Eugenio Zuniga, also a Carrancista,
made his entrance into Jiquilpan (head
-·--~----·---------------'.~
El Boletin Numismatico
No fue sino hasta el 19 de junio de 1914,
cuando 100 revolucionarios carrancistas
entraron a Sahuayo al mando del General Jose
Maria Morales Ibarra, con quien se entienden los
Municipes. Sale Morales despues a Jiquilpan
dejando una fuerza de 40 hombres en el pueblo.
El 22 de junio el General Eugenio Zuniga,
carrancista tambien, hace su entrada a Jiquilpan
(cabecera del distrito, que limita al sur) al frente
de 700 hombres, mientras tanto en Sahuayo, el
Presidente Municipal Luis Sanchez Ramirez y
un grupo de vecinos se entrevistan con el
General Morales y casi lo convencen de atacar a
Zuniga. El entonces capitan Lazaro Cardenas al
enterarse de esto le pide a Morales no apoyar a
Sahuayo, que ya se habia declarado "partidario
def gobierno usurpador que presidia Victoriano
Huerta", Morales le dice que tales medidas eran
en realidad para que los sahuayenses sacaran
las armas para recogerselas (1 ). Regresa
Lazaro Cardenas a Jiquilpan despues de haber
evitado el enfrentamiento de dos grupos afines y
asf, el 23 de junio entran las fuerzas del General
Zuniga a Sahuayo siendo recibidas por
Morales y el Presidente Municipal Luis Sanchez
Ramirez (Lazaro Cardenas Obras, 1- apuntes
1913/1940, tomo 1 p.49 y 50). Confiados los
sahuayenses en Morales le permitieron la
entrada a Zuniga quien ofreci6 garantfas. El
pueblo, armado con 500 rifles nuevos estaba a
la expectativa. Zuniga aprovechando la
situaci6n se present6 en el convento de unas
religiosas y exigi6 $5,000 pesos amenazando
con dinamitar el edificio si no se le entregaba el
dinero, la madre superiora Teresa Campos
Calderon le contest6 que vivian de la caridad y
que no disponia de tal cantidad por lo que podia
hacer lo que quisiera. Al ver el peligro en el que
se encontraban, el Sr. Cura Pascual Orozco y
otros sacerdotes trataron de arreglar la situaci6n
entrevistandose con Zuniga en el Hotel donde se
hospedaba, quien lejos de dar marcha atras en
sus prop6sitos los hizo prisioneros ordenando
ademas a su tropa que detuvieran a todos los
sacerdotes que encontraran (G.Urbizu, Zamora
y Sahuayo p.148). Posteriormente, temiendo
una insurrecci6n pues el pueblo estaba
enfurecido enfil6 rumbo a Jiquilpan, llevandose
amarrados al Sr. Cura, y otros diez sacerdotes.
En Jiquilpan exigi6 $40,000 pesos (2) y la
entrega de todas las armas a cambio de los
detenidos, como medida de presi6n amenaz6
con irlos fusilando cada media hora en tanto se
le entregaba el rescate. Empez6 con el
( 19)
of the district) with 700 men. Meanwhile, in
Sahuayo the Municipal President Luis Sanchez
Ramirez and a group ofresidents met with General
Morales and almost convinced him to attack
Zuniga. The then Captain Lazaro Cardenas , upon
learning of this, asked Morales not to help
Sahuayo, that had declared itself ""of the party of
the usurper government that Victoriano Huerta
headed". Morales said that these measures were
in reality so that the people of Sahuayo could bring
out their arms in order to put them away again (1 ).
Lazaro Cardenas returned to Jiquilpan after
having avoided the conflict between two allied
groups. On June 23 General Zuniga entered
Sahuayo, being received by Morales and The
Municipal President Luis Sanchez Ramirez
(Lazaro Cardenas Works, 1-notes 1913/1940, vol.
1, pg. 49 and 50). The people of Sahuayo had
confidence in Morales so they permitted Zuniga to
enter when he offered guarantees. The town,
armed with 500 rifles, was ready. Zuniga took
advantage of the situation and went to the convent
of a religious order and demanded $5,000 pesos.
He threatened to dynamite the building if the
money was not given to him. The Mother Superior
Teresa Campos Calderon told him that they lived
on charity and did not have that amount therefore
he could do what he wished. On seeing the danger
that they were in, the curate Pascual Orozco and
other priests tried to arrange the situation by
visiting Zuniga in the hotel where he was staying.
Far from retreating from his project, he took them
prisoners and ordered his troops to detain all the
priests that they found (G. Urbizu, Zamora y
Sahuayo, pg. 148). Later, fearing an insurrection
because the people were so furious, he marched
to Jiquilpan, taking with him the curate and ten
other priests. In Jiquilpan he demanded $40,000
pesos (2) and the surrender of all the arms in
exchange for the detained ones. As pressure he
threatened to execute one of them every half hour
until the ransom was delivered. He began with
Jose Marfa Galvez Sanchez who he had also
detained because he had defended his ranch. He
ordered him to be to be executed on the 26'" in front
of the priests. General Cardenas was witness and
recounts that "pointing at one of the priests he said
to the commander of the escort 'next I will execute
that one'. The priest then ran up to Zuniga to
implore clemency, exclaiming, 'why are you going
to shoot me?', to which Zuniga replied, 'por bonito y
pore ... " (Cardenas op. cit. pg. 51 ).
 El Boletin Numismatico

Sr.Jose Ma . Galvez Sanchez a quien tambien
habfa detenido por haberse puesto como
defensa en su rancho . Lo mand6 ejecutar el dia
26 enfrente de los sacerdotes; cuenta el
general Cardenas testigo presencial, que
"senalando a uno de ellos le dijo al oficial que
mandaba la escolta : "enseguida me ejecutan a
este". Entonces , el sacerdote que habfa
senalado corri6 hacfa Zuniga a implorar
clemencia, exclamando: "(,par que me va a
fusilar?, a lo que Zuniga contesto: ''par bonito y
pore ... "(Cardenas op. cit. p.51 ).
On June 27, Pofirio Villasenor, resident of
Jiquilpan delivered the ransom or most of it,
because the rich men of sahuayo had taken flight
to the capitals of Mexico and Guadalajara. Zuniga
kept his word and released the priests but one of
them , Father Federico Sanchez who was the
subject of the false execution , had received such
an impression that he died days later of a bilious
attack (Urbizu op. cit. pg. 148).

El 27 de junio don Porfirio Villasenor, vecino de

Jiquilpan dio el rescate o la mayor parte, ya que
los ricos de Sahuayo habian emprendido la
hufda a las capitales de Mexico y Guadalajara .
Zuniga cumpli6 su palabra de liberar a los
sacerdotes pero uno de ellos, el padre Federico
Sanchez al que se le form6 el falso cuadro de
fusilamiento , habia recibido tal impresi6n que
muri6 dfas despues de un derrame bilioso (
Urbizu op. cit. p.148),

Miguel Galvez Toscano

Fotografias tomadas del grupo de Photographs of Sahuayo citizens at the end of a

sahuayenses al termino de un retiro
espiritual que presidi6 el padre Carlos Marfa
de Heredia en esa epoca. Propiedad del
autor. (Puede verse completa en Urbizu
op.cit. p. 114)
spiritual retreat lead by Father Carlos Marfa de
Heredia at that time. Property of the author. (They
can be seen complete in Urbizu op. cit. pg . 114)

I ( 20)
 El Boletin Numismatico
Fue tal el resentimiento que dej6 en el pueblo
el general Zuniga que los sahuayenses
decidieron levantarse en armas en contra de los
carrancistas para defenderse de tantos
atropellos, al tener que definir su movimiento,
siendo un pueblo muy conservador, se
pronunciaron a favor del villismo ya que estos
no eran anticlericales. A fines de 1914, Jose
Ramirez Sanchez y hermanos junta con Miguel
Galvez Toscano, con la anuencia de los
munlcipes se dieron a la tarea de organizar un
batall6n.
Como rechazo a las emisiones revolucionarias
y/o para financiar su campana, mandaron
imprimir conforme al decreto del 15 de
noviembre de 1914 billetes de .10, .20 y .50
centavos y de 1 y 5 pesos (4) muy
probablemente en la unica imprenta que habla
en el pueblo llamada "Guadalupana" cuyo
propietario Don Estanislao Amezcua Orozco era
dueno tambien de una botica a la cual
concurrlan los principales vecinos y sacerdotes
y donde se realizaban tertulias. Ahi se llevaban
y traian las noticias de la comarca. Uno de los
asiduos contertulios era don Demetria Rojas,
amigo y colaborador de Don Estanislao en la
publicaci6n del semanario cat61ico "La Verdad".
Esta imprenta se rumoraba que la hablan
abandonado los franceses en la batalla de "la
trasquila" en 1864 cuando vencieron a los
republicanos. (Urbizu , op. cit. p.111-112 y
Gonzalez, op. cit. p. 127) ·
( 21 )
The resentment in the town was so great against
General Zuniga that the citizens decided to revolt
against the Carrancistas in order to defend
themselves from such abuse. When they had to
define their movement, being very conservative
they declared for Villa because he was not anti-
clerical. At the end of 1914, Jose Ramirez
Sanchez and his brothers together with Miguel
Galvez Toscano with the assent of the citizens
organized a batallion.
As a rejection of the revolutionary emissions
and/or to finance their campaign , they ordered the
printing of bills of 10, 20 and 50 centavos and 1 and
5 pesos (4) in accord with the decree of November
15, 1914, probably from the only print shop in the
town called "Guadalupana". Its owner, Estanislao
Amezcua Orozco, was also the owner of the
pharmacy where the principal citizens and priests
went and where meetings were also held. There
also arrived the news of the district. One of the
assiduous meeting attendees was Demetria
Rojas , friend and collaborator of Don Estanislao in
the publication of the Catholic weekly "La Verdad".
It was rumored that this printer had been
abandoned by the French in the battle of "la
trasquila" in 1884 when they defeated the
republicans . (Urbizu , op. cit. pg. 111-112 and
Gonzalez, op. cit. pg. 127)
•
 ----------
El Boletin N umismatico
La (mica fuente que da detalles del
levantamiento de Galvez y Ramirez es la de
Jose Prado Sanchez en su libro "Sahuayo,
tradiciones y leyendas", resumiendo ese
capitulo nos dice que en un tiempo relativamente
corto qued6 constituido el batall6n," bien
armadas y montados" y hasta con una banda de
musica para darse animos acampan en Contla,
Jal. Ahi notan la deserci6n de Nicanor Mora, y
Miguel Galvez se pronuncia por fusilarlo, el
General Ramirez con 20 hombres sale para
entrevistarse con Mora en Pajacuaran logrando
convencerlo de desistir de sus prop6sitos y
regresa con el, en el camino se encuentran con
Vicente Galvez sobrino del Gral. Galvez
Toscano que venia de la Piedad con fuerte
numero de soldados para incorporarse a las
fuerzas de su tio. De regreso en Sahuayo Jose
Ramirez es informado que el general Fox con
200 yaquis a su mando enviado por el
carrancismo "traia instrucciones de incendiar el
pueblo" y le piden que se quede para defenderlo,
el General Ramirez opta por hacerle frente al
enemigo en el campo de batatla y el 12 de
diciembre en la madrugada con 20 hombres se
dirige por el lado montanoso de la palma y
Vicente Galvez por el de la laguna de Chapala
donde sorprenden al enemigo; en duro combate
perece Vicente Galvez y su gente acobardada
regresa a Sahuayo, aqul Ignacio hermano de
Jose Ramirez trata de convencerlos de que
regresen a auxiliar a su hermano y solo
consigue que se queden en el pueblo para
defenderlo en caso de que fuera vencido Jose
Ramirez. Este, conocedor del fangoso terreno
de la palma "poniendo en alto su valor y
estrategia, luch6 durante todo el dia con sus 20
hombres logrando veneer a los yaquis, que una
vez rendidos los tom6 prisioneros fusilando a los
Jefes y trayendo como trofeo a Sahuayo 40
prisioneros" concluye Jose Prado diciendo que el
General Ramirez a unos de los cautivos les dio
dinero para que regresaran a su tierra y que otros
se le unieron voluntariamente. Con la derrota
que le infringen a los yaquis del general Claudio
Fox dice Luis Gonzalez (Sahuayo, op. cit. p.146)
"termin6 la revolucion particular de Galvez y
Ramirez".
Como conclusion, se puede afirmar que los
billetes de la "Columna Galvez Toscano" son
villistas y que se conocen 5 valores segun el
catalogo de Gaytan, que debieron ser impresos
I ( 22)
L
The only source that gives details of the uprising
of Galvez and Ramirez is the book of Jose Prado
Sanchez "Sahuayo, traditions and legends". He
tells us that in a relatively short time a batallion was
formed, "well armed and mounted" and even with a
music band to give them spirit, and camped in
Contla, Jal. There it is noted that Nicanor Mora
deserted and Miguel Galvez condemned him to be
shot. General Ramirez with 20 men went to
interview Mora in Pajacuaran and convinced him
to give up his ideas and return with him. On the
road they met Vicente Galvez, nephew of Gen.
Galvez Toscano, who was coming from La Piedad
with a strong number of men to join the forces of his
uncle. Returning to Sahuayo, Jose Ramirez is
informed that General Fox with 200 Yaquis under
his command was sent by the Carrancistas "with
instructions to burn the town". He was asked to
stay and defend it. General Ramirez opted to
confront the enemy on the battle field and at dawn
on December 12 with 20 men he approached on
the mountainous side whilt Vicente Galvez went by
Lake Chapala where they surprised the enemy. In
a hard battle Vicente Galvez was killed and his
people decided to return to Sahuayo where
Ignacio, brother of Jose Ramirez, tried to convince
them to return to help his brother but only managed
to get them to stay to defend the town in case Jose
Ramirez was defeated. This one, knowing well the
muddy land, "using his high courage and strategy,
fought all day with his twenty men and succeeded
in defeating the Yaquis, took them prisoner, shot
the leaders and took 40 prisoners to Sahuayo as
trophies". Jose Prado concludes saying that
General Ramfrez gave money to some of the
captives so they could return to their homes and
that others went voluntarily. With the defeat of the
Yaquis of General Fox, Luis Gonzalez says
(Sahuayo, op. cit. pg.146) "the private revoution of
Galvez and Ramirz ended".
As conclusion,it can be said that the bills of the
"Galvez and Toscano Column are Villistas and that
five values are known according to the Gaytan
catalog .that must have been printed in the
Guadalupana shop of Estanislao Amezcua
Orozco and that Miguel Galvez Toscano and Jose
Ramirez Sanchez are the ones who signed them
as General and Treasurer respectively (if Y is the
first letter of the signature of the Treasurer, that I do
not believe, then it is ofYgnacio Ramirez Sanchez,
brother of Jose).
 El Boletin Numismatico

Estanislao Amezcua Orozco y que Miguel NOTES

Galvez Toscano y Jose Ramirez Sanchez son
las que firman coma General y Tesorero
respectivamente (de ser Y la primer letra de la
rubrica del tesorero, que no creo, se tratarfa
entonces de Ygnacio Ramirez Sanchez
hermano de Jose).
(1) This occurrence must be the origin of the
saying "son of Marfa Morales" that the
merchants and ex-residents spread in various
parts of the Mexican Republic and perhaps in
foreign lands also.

NOT AS (2) Urbizu says he demanded $25,000 pesos.

( 1) Este hecho debe ser el origen de la popular
frase "hijo de Marfa Morales" que los
comerciantes y transterrados se encargaron de
divulgar en varias partes de la Republica
Mexicana y quiza hasta del extranjero.
(2) Urbizu dice que exigi6 25,000 pesos. (op.cit.
p.148)
(3) Otro de estos billetes, el de $1 peso
anaranjado se puede ver en el libro "La historia
del papel moneda en Mexico" de Jose Antonio
Batiz Vazquez , editado por Fomento Cultural
Banamex, Ahf se puede observar que ademas
del numero progresivo lleva en el anverso la
firma original del General Miguel Galvez
Toscano y la del General Jose Ramirez
Sanchez, como Tesorero, , en el reverso lleva el
sello gomfgrafo del Ayuntamiento de Sahuayo,
me imagino que las demas valores tambien lo
llevan.
(op. cit. pg. 148)
(3) Another of these bills, the $1.00 peso
orange, can be seen in the book "La Historia .del
Papel Moneda en Mexico" of Jose Antonio Batiz
Vazquez, published by Fomento Cultural
Banamex. There it can be obsrved that in
addition to being progressively numbered it has
on the obverse the original signatures of General
Miguel Galvez Toscano and General Jose
Ramirez Sanchez as Treasurer. On the reverse
it has the rubber stamp of the Ayuntamiento of
Sahuayo. I imagin that the rest of the
denominations also have it.
(4) Gaytan·s op. cit. pg. 94 and pg E.E. Mich.
63 and 64 and pg L.V. Mich. 65 to 68.

(4) Gaytan·s op.cit. p. 94 y p. E.E. Mich. 63y64y

p. L.V. Mich. 65 a 68.

BIBLIOGRAFIA

-Cardenas, Lazaro "Obras 1-Apuntes

1913/1940"Tomo I U.N.A.M.1972, 2a. Edici6n.
-Garcia Urbizu, Francisco "Zamora y Sahuayo",
Talleres Gu fa, Zamora, Mich. 1963.
-Gaytan, Carlos "Paper Currency of Mexico", 2a.
Edition, El Cajon, California 1975.
-Gonzalez y Gonzalez, Luis, "Sahuayo",
Gobierno del Edo. de Mich. 1979, Monograffas
Municipales.
-Prado Sanchez, Jose "Sahuayo Tradiciones y
Leyendas", Edici6n de Autor, Azuayo, 1976.

( 23)
 Abril - Junio, 2005 El Boletin Numismatico

BILLETES DE LA COLUMNA GALVEZ TOSCANO

BILLS FROM GALVEZ TOSCANO COLUMN

Complemento Grifico del artkulo aparecido en el boletin N° 206

$ 0.50 cs. CINCUENTA CENTAVO§ soso}:S]j!

N(J 706 .J I!
r,

~
:;..... ~~ C~NCUENT-LA\ C~~-~= ~a(l)e :or ~I
Vale por
;....:
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50 ('S. a c.:s. ~ ·
CONFORl•H: ,\L DEC lt~:TO DJ<: . -i i
~ 1cincuentn cs or; crncucnta cs I ~ I
Ill DE NOVlE.MllfU·: 11114.
C)i General, ;r. \ Tesorero, '.

~lsoso -cs~ CINCUENTA CENTA°vos$ QSoCS~~

<, (£olunma ,:, ti'. .

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• 10 •
Abril - Junio, 2005 El Boledn Nurnismatico

1.00 UN PESO. $1..00

= ~N" --

VALE POR I
~ $1.00 UN PESO $1.00 ~~
a.. Conforme al dccreto de 15 <.le novicmbrc de 19H
~ General, Teaorero, .~

II == = = ...:.~ _..:; .... . .

$1.00 UN PESO Sl.ool

COLUMN A GALVEZ TOSCANO. I

$1.00 $1.00 !

'\it>intP centa\'OS.
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s ..Kum.
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a
~ Valepor20cvs. ~
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• 11 •
Abril - Junio, 2005 El Boletin Numismatico

$.5.00 ·. Cinco ipesos. $5.00

N'1 l 190

· ~VA LE L!.( ) Lt $ 5.0~ Cl.K co . .ll-ESf)S

,. ·-;con£ormc 11/ decreto de 15 de noviembre d•~I914 .

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$ 5. 00
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pes'OS
---

$5.00 $5.00
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• 12 •