Centésimo: coin from Republic of Panama (1904-...); 1/100 balboa

CENTÉSIMO: COIN OF PANAMA

5 centésimo, 1970: Republic of Panama

5 centésimos, 1970: Republic of Panama

CINCO CENTÉSIMOS DE BALBOA: five centésimos of a balboa (balboa — official currency of Panama since 1904).

9 stars from the coat of arms of Panama (9 provinces until 2014; later — 10).

REPÚBLICA DE PANAMÁ: Republic of Panama.

The arms of Panama (type until 2014): symbolic image of the Isthmus of Panama in the center — the narrow strip of land that lies between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, linking North and South America.

Mintage: 5.000.000.

  • Copper-nickel: 21.21 mm - 5 g
  • Reference price: 0.7$

COIN CENTÉSIMO — WHERE & WHEN (coins catalog: by names & emitents)
  1. REPUBLIC OF PANAMA (1904-): centésimo = 1/100 balboa
  2. ORIENTAL REPUBLIC OF URUGUAY (1869-…): centésimo = 1/100 peso
  3. REPUBLIC OF PARAGUAY (1870): centésimo = 1/100 peso
  4. REPUBLIC OF CHILE (1960-1972): centésimo = 1/100 escudo
  5. PLURINATIONAL STATE OF BOLIVIA (1864): centésimo = 1/100 boliviano
  6. DOMINICAN REPUBLIC (1891): centésimo = 1/100 franco
Pay attention — centésimo not centesimo: these are two different numismatic terms (the first is inherent in Spanish-speaking countries, the second — in Italian).

The centésimo coin became widespread in Spanish-speaking countries. Its name echoes the name of the Italian coin centesimo (not "centésimo"), which appeared on the lands of the Apennine Peninsula in the first half of the 19th century (Kingdom of Sardinia, Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia...); later — Italy, Vatican, San Marino. The term "Centesimo" comes from the Latin word "Centesimus" — "hundredth part".