Catalog
20 Balboas Puma
| Issuer | Republic of Panama |
|---|---|
| Year | 1984 |
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| Orientation | Coin alignment ↑↓ |
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|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Reverse description | A finely engraved puma (Puma concolor) is depicted seated upright on a horizontal tree branch, facing left with its head turned slightly toward the viewer, its mouth slightly open revealing its teeth. The animal's musculature and fur texture are rendered with exceptional detail characteristic of Franklin Mint craftsmanship. The date 1984 is prominently placed in the upper field, flanking the animal's head. The mirror-like proof fields provide a sharp contrast to the finely frosted relief of the wildlife subject. |
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| Additional information |
Panama's 1984 gold issues were struck under the administration of Nicolás Ardito Barletta, the country's first directly elected president in sixteen years — though that election was almost immediately disputed amid credible fraud allegations. His government lasted less than a year before a forced resignation engineered by Manuel Noriega.
The .500 fineness is notably low for a gold collector coin of this period, placing the actual gold content at just under a gram and a half.