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1/2 Balboa
| Issuer | Republic of Panama |
|---|---|
| Year | 1996-2019 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1/2 Balboa |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | The national coat of arms of Panama is depicted in the center of the obverse, featuring a quartered shield with a cornucopia and tools symbolizing labor and abundance, flanked by the isthmus and sea, surmounted by a harpy eagle with outstretched wings clutching a scroll inscribed with the national motto PRO MUNDI BENEFICIO. A row of nine stars arcs above the eagle. The circular legend REPUBLICA DE PANAMA runs along the upper periphery, and the date appears in the exergue at the bottom of the field. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | A left-facing armored bust of Vasco Núñez de Balboa, the Spanish conquistador and explorer, dominates the center of the reverse. He is depicted wearing an ornately engraved morion helmet and a gorget with pauldron armor, rendered in high relief with fine detail. Flanking the bust are two sprigs of laurel and flowering branches extending from the lower field. The denomination legend MEDIO-BALBOA curves along the upper periphery in large incuse lettering. |
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| Edge | Log in to see details |
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| Additional information |
Panama has no central bank and no currency of its own in the conventional sense — the U.S. dollar has served as the de facto paper currency since 1904, a consequence of the treaty framework surrounding canal construction. The Balboa exists solely as coinage, minted in values that conveniently mirror U.S. denominations and circulate interchangeably with American cents and clad coins.
The KM#129.1 and KM#129.2 distinction reflects a minor modification to the coin's edge or die details introduced at some point within the production run — collectors should verify which subtype is present rather than assuming uniformity across the date range.