Expert: Dmitry Livshits - 1/22/2011

Question
Hello!

I have his 1933 .90gm silver coin from Panama. On one side it says "Medio Balboa" over a person. The other side has the Panama coat of arms with "Repulic de Panama" over it. My question is what is the face value of the coin and what is the selling price for a coin of this age?

Thanks for any and all help

Answer
Hi Patrick,
This would have been Panama's equivalent to a US half dollar.
The 1933 is a better date, with only 120,000 coins made that year. Unfortunately the market for these is not nearly as strong as for a US coin with a low mintage like this.
I can't give you an exact value without knowing the condition of your coin or seeing a picture of it, but I can give you a range of value.
A well used coin starts at around $10, which is pretty much silver value. On the opposite end, a mint condition coin with no wear at all and luster is worth $300 to $400+. If your coin has just a little bit of wear on the high points of the design it will still be worth $30 to $50.
If you would like to attach a clear picture of the side with Balboa's portrait, I can give you an exact grade and value. You can attach one picture to a follow-up question on this site.
Thanks! =)