Panama 1907 1/2 centesimo
The year 1904 inaugurated coinage for the newly independent Panamanian republic. In the original system, one balboa = 2 U.S. dollars, and 2½, 5, 25 and 50 centesimos were struck to this standard 1904-16. In 1930, the system was reorganized and one balboa = one dollar and all new types issued. The United States mint struck coins for Panama using U. S. blanks. Unfortunately, collecting Panamanian coins lost its popularity after the Franklin mint overissued proof sets and commemoratives in the 1970's and 1980's. For years, few Panamanian coins sold for more than melt. This specimen was lot 1641 in Sedwick Treasure Auction 21 (Winter Park, FL, May 2017), where it sold for $88.12. The catalog description[1] noted, "Panama (struck at the Philadelphia mint), copper-nickel 1/2 centesimo, 1907, doubled die obverse error, encapsulated NGC MS 66, ex-Richard Stuart (stated inside slab). Golden toning and luster, no marks at all, tied with one other for finest known in NGC census (above 97 others at current count). NGC #4427874-008. Pedigreed to the Richard Stuart collection." This is the only issue of this denomination. It is common, and the doubled die obverse shown here is more common than the regular date.
Recorded mintage: 1,000,000 plus proofs.
Specification: copper-nickel, 16 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: KM-6.
- [1]Sedwick, Daniel F., Augi Garcia and Cori Sedwick Downing, Treasure Auction #21, featuring Selections from the Richard Stuart Collection, Winter Park, FL: Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC, 2017.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
Link to:
- 1904 2½ centésimos
- 1907 2½ centésimos
- Coins and currency dated 1907
- return to coins of Panama