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20 Colones
| Issuer | Banco Central de Costa Rica |
|---|---|
| Year | 1983-1996 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 20 Colones (20 CRC) |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Technique | Log in to see details |
| Orientation | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | Log in to see details |
| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | The denomination '20 COLONES' is boldly inscribed in the upper portion of the field, above two crossed coffee branches bearing fruit and leaves, which form the central decorative motif. A horizontal ribbon behind the denomination bears the initials 'B.C.C.R.' (Banco Central de Costa Rica), rendered either in relief or incuse depending on the variety. The numerical value '20' is also expressed in Braille characters, positioned prominently within the design as a tactile accessibility feature. The entire composition is contained within a nonagonal inner rim. |
| Reverse script | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | 20 COLONES ⠃⠚ B.C.C.R. (Translation: 20 Colones 20 Central Bank of Costa Rica) |
| Edge | Log in to see details |
| Mint | Log in to see details |
| Mintage | Log in to see details |
| Additional information |
The Banco Central de Costa Rica introduced this denomination as part of a broader recoinage effort prompted by the catastrophic colón devaluation of the early 1980s, when Costa Rica suspended debt payments in 1981 and the currency lost roughly two-thirds of its value against the dollar within two years. Stainless steel was chosen over previous nickel alloys largely on cost grounds as the central bank worked to stabilize a circulating coinage system that inflation had made nearly dysfunctional.
The 13-year production run reflects how slowly purchasing power normalized rather than any particular stability in the type itself.