Panama 1981-FM 500 balboas
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This specimen was lot 25423 in Heritage sale 3026 (Long Beach, October 2013), where it sold for $1,410. The catalog description[1] noted, "Republic gold 500 Balboas 1981-FM, Proof 67 Ultra Cameo NGC, Sailfish design, 487 struck in Proof." This denomination was first used for large gold commemoratives in 1975 and the Franklin Mint issued all of them until 1985. 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: 41 uncirculated plus 487 proofs.
Specification: 37.18 g, 0.500 fine gold, .597 troy oz AGW.
Catalog reference: KM 75.
- 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.
- [1]Bierrenbach, Cristiano, Warren Tucker and Scott Cordry, Heritage Signature Auction 3026, World & Ancient Coins, featuring the RLM Collection, Part Two, the Nogales Collection and the Goetz Medals Die Archive, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2013.
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