Costa Rica 1989 colon

from the Mountain Groan Collection

This specimen exemplifies the dreadful state of modern coin design. The drab, low relief design, accentuated by the dull material, failed to inspire any but the most devoted collectors of Central American coins. It is a product of the Mexico City mint. Later series of the 1990's added the fifty and hundred colones as inflation eroded the power of the currency. This sub-type was also struck 1984 and 1993-94 at London, Karlsruhe and Sherrit.

Recorded mintage: 50,000,000.

Specification: 3.2 g, stainless steel, 21 mm diameter.

Catalog reference: KM 210.2.

Source:

• Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
• Gurdian, Raul, Contribucion al Estudio de las Monedas de Costa Rica: 100 Años de Colon, 2a Ed., San José, Costa Rica, 1997.
• Stickney, Brian, A Monetary History of Central America, New York: American Numismatic Society, 2017.

Links to:

• 1982 colon
• 1989 5 colones
• Coins and currency dated 1989
• return to Costa Rica