Catalog
20 Balboas Hummingbird
| Issuer | Panama |
|---|---|
| Year | 1982 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 20 Balboas |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | A highly detailed, naturalistically rendered hummingbird in full flight occupies the central field, its long bill extending toward flowering vines that frame the composition on both sides. The bird's wings are spread wide, with fine feather detail visible across the plumage and tail. Trumpet-shaped blossoms and foliage rendered in high relief surround the bird, creating an lush botanical setting. The date 1982 is inscribed in bold numerals arcing along the upper border of the coin. |
| Reverse script | Latin |
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| Edge | Log in to see details |
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| Additional information |
Panama's gold coinage of the early 1980s emerged directly from the country's unusual monetary arrangement — the balboa has never been physically issued as paper currency, with U.S. dollars circulating alongside it in a de facto currency union dating to 1904. These gold pieces were struck primarily for collector export rather than domestic use. The 1982 hummingbird issue was part of a broader conservation series tied to Panama's biodiversity advocacy at the time.
At .500 fineness, this sits below standard numismatic gold — a deliberate cost decision that kept issue prices accessible without reducing the nominal face value.