5 Centavos

Nicaragua's 2002 coinage was issued under conditions of persistent fiscal strain — the country was still restructuring debt from the Sandinista-era economic collapse and the catastrophic damage of Hurricane Mitch in 1998, which wiped out roughly 45% of GDP. The córdoba had been redenominated as recently as 1991, replacing the old córdoba at a rate of 5 million to one.

Copper-plated steel was adopted for the small-denomination coins of this series as a direct cost-reduction measure, replacing earlier bronze compositions.