The Franklin Mint put out annual Silver Proof coin sets of Panama (among other countries) during the 1970's. The Panama 9 coin sets included 3 Silver coins each: 1 Balboa (0.794 oz/silver) 5 Balboas (1.04 oz/silver) 20 Balboas (3.85 oz/silver) TOTAL = ~5.684 oz/silver These sets originally sold for over $100 when they were first made, and there were low mintages of each. Well, on ebay, I picked up a set of my own. A 1977 proof set (only 8000 minted). As some of you might have read in other posts, im insanely in love with Panama silver/gold.... it is heroin in my veins. (ebay price $62... God has blessed me with ebay luck this past week)
That's a beautiful set. The price you paid seems to be a bargain given just the silver value. I guess that there is limited collector demand for these or the prices would be much higher. I've always wanted one of the 20 Balboa coins but have never come upon one when I was in buying mode.
Devo, I really like that Balboa. Its says Eureka!!! I have quite a few Panama's going back to 1904, the massive Bolivar 4 ouncer, Lots of silver and US mint sets for Panama. Traci
I got it on a "BUY IT NOW" auction that was newly listed. The seller undervalued it and I snatched it up..... Other sets are going for over $100 on ebay.... I got lucky. The trick to buying on ebay is to cherry pick auctions.... Search for "buy it now" and "newly listed" auctions to get the best deals before other people find them and snatch them up.
