Panama 1 Balboa 1975 to 1982

Panama's balboa coinage show this pattern between 1975 and 1982. Even though they are big, beautiful conis, most are low-value, because they are made of copper-nickel and not silver, like earlier and later balboas. See this page [Press Here] for silver balboas which use a different pattern than the one shown here.

To determine value, you must discern whether your coin is made of silver or not. Silver balboas are made in proof for collectors. The proof coins are usually packaged for protection and look very spiffy, like our photo. Uncirculated copper-nickel coins look spiffy as well, but the surfaces are creamy metallic, not mirror-like. If you are not sure if your coin is silver or copper-nickel, ask a knowledgeable collector, coin dealer, or jeweler.

Here are some approximate values:

COPPER-NICKEL BALBOAS:
worn: $3 US dollars approximate catalog value
average circulated: $5
well preserved: $10
fully uncirculated: $80
balboas dated 1975 are more common and are worth about one-third of these values
balboas dated 1982 with a legend 'LEY .500' are quite rare, cataloging at $500 in uncirculated condition

SILVER PROOF BALBOAS (0.333 troy ounces silver):
impaired by stains, smudges, scratches, etc: Base Value (BV)
fully uncirculated: BV + $15

The Base Value (BV) above is computed by multiplying the current price of silver (look it up on kitco.com) by the silver content. At this time, silver is trading at $19 per troy ounce, so BV = 19 x 0.333 = $6.30.
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