Catalog
40 Qetsales Poyais
| Issuer | Nicaragua |
|---|---|
| Year | 2024 |
| Type | Fantasy coin |
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| Obverse description | Elaborate heraldic coat of arms occupying the left portion of the rectangular field, featuring a crowned shield charged with a double-headed eagle, supported by two chained lions rampant, with a scroll bearing motto inscriptions in the exergue. To the right, a large mythical griffin is depicted in profile facing left, rendered in high relief against a darkened field. The issuer name POYAIS appears as a bold legend to the upper right, with the date 2024 positioned below it. |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
Poyais was a fictional nation invented by Scottish con man Gregor MacGregor, who in the 1820s sold land grants and even issued currency for a country that did not exist — convincing hundreds of British settlers to emigrate to a malarial jungle on the Mosquito Coast of present-day Honduras. The scheme is considered one of history's most audacious frauds. Nicaragua's decision to issue this piece in 2024 commemorating the 40 Qetzales denomination of that phantom currency is an unusual numismatic acknowledgment of a con perpetrated nearly two centuries ago on its neighboring coastline.