100 Dollars Margay

Belize issued a series of gold wildlife coins in the early 1980s as part of a broader push by small Caribbean and Central American nations to generate hard currency through collector markets rather than circulation. The margay, a nocturnal spotted cat native to Belizean rainforest, was a deliberate choice — the WWF had flagged the species as under pressure from the pelt trade, and conservation-themed coinage carried premium appeal among European and North American buyers at the time.

The .500 fineness is notably low for a gold collector issue of this period, a cost-driven decision that kept the gold content just above the threshold buyers expected.