Panama 1988 balboa KMX-2
This specimen was lot 34450 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, May 2024), where it sold for $2,280. The catalog description[1] noted, "PANAMA. Platinum Off-Metal Strike Balboa, 1988. Olympic Series, Free-Style Skating. NGC PROOF-69 Ultra Cameo. Immensely impressive on account of the nearly-flawless nature of the specimen, and the off-metal strike, this impressive issue is certain to have impact on the many collectors of Panamanian coinage." The SCWC consigns this series (KM X1 thru X12) to the Unusual World Coins, and likely rightly so, as it doesn't appear to have been an authorized issue. We don't think the most corrupt government minister would have allowed the denomination to be written "1.00 VNBALBOA". Strikes in copper-nickel and silver are mentioned but not platinum.
Recorded mintage: est. 50,000 in copper-nickel plus est. 20,000 in silver.
Specification: 15 g, copper-nickel or silver, 32 mm diameter. This specimen is platinum, weight unknown.
Catalog reference: Fr-Unlisted; cf. KMX-2 (Copper-Nickel), KMX-2a (silver).
- 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.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Unusual World Coins, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2011.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, May 2024 World Collectors Choice Online Auction, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2024.
Link to:
- 1985-FM 20 balboas, discovery of the Pacific Ocean
- 1985-FM 500 balboas, Golden Eagle
- 1988 balboa, Calgary Winter Olympics, ski jumping, struck in platinum
- 1988 balboa, Calgary Winter Olympics, biathlon, struck in platinum
- 1988 balboa, Calgary Winter Olympics, ice hockey, struck in platinum
- 1988 50 balboas, Calgary Winter Olympics, women's figure skating, struck in platinum
- Coins and currency dated 1988