1000 Pesos FAO

This coin was created to adhere to the numismatic FAO program and is present on sets "Food for All" (Panel 2A) and FAO Album (page 9). The design is based upon the esthetical style created by the uruguayan artist Joaquin Torres Garcia (known as "Constructive Universalism" or "Constructivism").

On the obverse shows a Sun, Constuctivist version, and on reverse several symbols. Torres Garcia thought art should not copy nature, but not negate it either. Symbols are modern, but also remind native symbolism. They are so simple and bidimensionals, that evocate primitive art, and are very easy to understand them, main are: the fish (Nature), the triangle (Reason), the heart (feelings), man and woman.


Meanings of the symbols on reverse:
1: Creator's Face; 2: carpenter's square; 3: Universal Man, no races; 4: eel (representing sea element; 5: oxen yoke ; 6: seeds; 7: bird and seed; 8: fruit tree branch; 9: shovel; 10: buoy (fishing stuff); 11: tray to keep water and a seed; 12: fruit tree stakes; 13: axe; 14: ploughshare; 15: cow and seed; 16: lizzard; 17: grinding grain mortar.

There is a variant of this coin, where there is a small line from left eye of the Sun on obverse towards the nose; is known as "teardrop".


 No teardrop variant Teardrop variant

Also some coins have the inscription that can be read with obverse up, and others with reverse up; so combining teardrop/no teardrop and reading up/down, it makes a total of 4 variants.

Teardrop is not described in main catalogues, but frequently is mentioned in auction sites. Position of edge inscription is rarely described.

Mintmark is placed on edge.

NOTE:
- On 1987, Central Bank of Uruguay countermarked (off centered) 2 000 coins as celebration of Bank's 20th. anniversary;
- On 1997, Central Bank of Uruguay countermarked (centered and colorized) 500 coins as celebration of Bank's anniversary.
- Krause listed countermarked coins on original year, adding letter (KM# 55c and KM# 55d);
- SA did not list them separately, and only added a note explaining the countermarked coins;
- CG listed countermarked coins as variants (original= GC# 96.1; countermarked= CG# 96.2 & CG# 96.3); also lists silver pattern separately (CG# E34)