10 Córdobas Solar Eclipse

Nicaragua issued this miniature gold piece to commemorate the annular solar eclipse of June 21, 2020, which was visible across parts of Africa, the Middle East, and Asia — though not Nicaragua itself. The decision to issue an eclipse coin for an event geographically irrelevant to the issuing country is a straightforward commercial calculation: the novelty gold market for celestial event pieces is well established, and small-format fractional gold sells reliably to thematic collectors regardless of national connection.

At 0.5 grams of 14-karat gold, the precious metal content is minimal — the coin's value is collector-driven from the outset.