Catalog
500 Pesos
| Issuer | Banco de la República (Colombia) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1993-2012 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| 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 | 2.25 mm |
| 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 | Central field features the Samán de Guacarí, a celebrated historic rain tree (Samanea saman) revered by the inhabitants of Guacarí. The tree is depicted in a naturalistic style, its broad canopy filling the inner disc of the bimetallic coin. A circular legend surrounding the design reads REPUBLICA DE COLOMBIA and EL ARBOL DE GUACARI. The design is executed in the aluminium bronze centre, contrasting with the nickel brass outer ring. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse script | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Edge | Log in to see details |
| Mint | Log in to see details |
| Mintage | Log in to see details |
| Additional information |
Colombia's shift to bimetallic coinage in the early 1990s came directly out of the 1990 constitutional overhaul that restructured Banco de la República's mandate, formally separating monetary policy from government financing — a reform driven in part by decades of inflation that had steadily eroded the purchasing power of smaller denominations. The 500 peso coin effectively replaced banknote equivalents that had become impractical to produce and handle.
The series ran nearly twenty years with minimal modification, a longevity that produced significant die variation across mints and years.