Panama Balboa coins?

Well, I really don't collect any foreign coins but there is one that has really caught my interest. I really like the looks of the silver only Panama Balboa 1/4 and 1/2 coins. I just like the looks of them. Do you guys have any? Never have held one but they look good to me. I think the last silver ones were made in 1966. May be wrong. I will probably go for the average circulated grades as money is rather tight in my old age. Any special approach I should take to them? Any info greatly appreciated.

 

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I have 3 of them -

 

My wife is from Panama and we go there frequently. I've even gone to the coin club meeting in Panama City and their annual show. While there I saw someone with an original roll of Panamanian silver quarters. I think they were in the 60's.

Panama takes some care with their coinage due to nationalistic pride. It's not unusual to find in circulation 1/2 Balboas (half dollars) and quarters with fully PL surfaces. Of course these are Cu/Nickel as are US coins.

 

I have some silver Balboas;
dimes and quarters.
Nice looking coins.

 

I have this 1/10 example from 1962. They are lovely coins and you can find the various denominations (and even proof sets) for $25 or less on ebay (of course higher grades or full Balboas would be more, but the fractional sizes are quite affordable).

 

I have a pretty decent pile of Panamanian silver (because I became a fan after a trip there, although my digestive tract never EVER recovered from something I ate the last day there.)

From the 1904 25 Centisimos:



To my favorite, the key date 1953 1 Balboa (this one's an NGC MS64 slab):



I also have a few of the "Panama Pill" coins as well, in addition to way, way too many of the fractionals and huge silver coins they put out (don't have those imaged, sorry.)

 

Due to the US minting most of Panamas coins from 1904 until 1983 these are a big part of my US minted world coin collection.

Here is another example of a 1/10th Balboa.

And just because I really like this one here is a 1966 Medio (1/2) Balboa.

The line on the bottom of the obverse is a die crack...not a scratch.

 

You can find silver ones, 40% and 90% in Mint Sets. They were struck on U.S. coin blanks at the Philadelphia Mint in the mid-60's to early '70's.

 

The good news is that, with the exception of the 1930's dates, the price difference between average circulated and high grade AU pieces is small... from just a couple dollars for the smaller denominations to around $10 for the large crown sized balboa.

 

KM#5, 50 centesimos, 1904, .900 silver. you can usually tell the grade by the feathers on the helmet. I think mines is XF-AU

 

all my Panama coin are on this thread... link: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/going-to-panama-soon-any-suggestions-re-coins.229552/#post-1732371

 

The smallest of the Balboas

 

And the largest

 

Nice coin Steve66. Is this one silver. Never have seen one yet. I am in the early stages of research on Balboas. I think I will stick to the silver only coins though. Mike

 

it says it right on the coin .925 silver. size 61mm it's very large.

 

yep.. 3.85 oz ASW

 

here is my toned 1947 Panama 1/4 Balboa KM#11.1 .900 silver, mintage-700,000 size-24.3mm

 

Nice!
Is your coin graded?

Here’s one I have that graded 63

 

not graded guessing VF-XF ?

 

I like to pick up Panamanian coins whenever possible. I actually like getting the clad quarter balboas and spend them in vending machines since they are the same size and composition as US quarters.