100 Dollars Itzamna

Belize gained independence from Britain in 1981, but this coin predates that moment — issued while the country was still British Honduras in all but name, having only adopted the name Belize in 1973 under a new constitution. Itzamna, the supreme deity of the Maya pantheon, was a deliberate choice for a young nation asserting a pre-colonial identity distinct from its colonial administration.

The .500 fineness is notably low for a gold commemorative of this period, when most sovereign gold issues ran at .900 or better. It kept the face value credible without committing to a heavier fine gold content.