Panama 1988 balboa KMX-4
This specimen was lot 34452 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, May 2024), where it sold for $2,760. The catalog description[1] noted, "PANAMA. Platinum Off-Metal Strike Balboa, 1988. Olympic Series, Hockey. NGC PROOF-69 Ultra Cameo. One of the more enigmatic Panama issues we have encountered recently, with this type being unlisted in this composition in any of the usual references. Nearly flawless, with a sharp cameo contrast, making the rich Olympic themed design pop even more when seen in this composition." 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, wieght unknown.
Catalog reference: Fr-Unlisted; cf. KMX-4 (Copper-Nickel), KMX-4a (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:
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