Panama 1975-FM 500 balboas
This specimen was lot 32052 in Heritage sale 3076 (Long Beach, CA, September 2019), where it sold for $2,400. The catalog description[1] noted, "Panama. Republic gold 500 Balboas 1975-FM PL64 PCGS, Franklin mint. Birth of Balboa commemorative. Excellent mirroring with a bright gold chroma." No gold coin has ever been struck for circulation in Panama. This denomination was first used for large gold commemoratives in 1975 and the Franklin Mint issued all of them until 1985. This type was struck 1975-77. 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.
Recorded mintage: 10 matte uncirculated + 1,496 uncirculated + 9,824 proofs.
Specification: 41.70 g, 0.900 fine gold, AGW 1.2066 oz.
Catalog reference: Fr-2, KM 42.
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- Stickney, Brian, A Monetary History of Central America, New York: American Numismatic Society, 2017.
- [1]Bierrenbach, Cristiano and Warren Tucker, Heritage World and Ancient Coins Auction 3076, featuring the Allen Moretti Swiss Collection and the James Mossman Collection of Canadian Coinage, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2019.
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