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Message:: [QUOTE="Clinker, post: 607101, member: 6229"]You know Panama gained its independence from Columbia with help from the U.S.A. in 1903 because the U.S.A. wanted to build a canal to link the Pacific to the Atlantic across the isthmus. However, do you know how Panama gained its independence from Spain? Do you know how or why Panama became a member of the Columbian Confederation? In 1821 Panama gained their independence from Spain with the help of an indigenous native, Chief Urraca. After Panama gained its independence from Spain, just about every country to the North and South of them wanted to assimilate them. Columbia authorities came up with a plan to form a federation of smaller countries that would unite under the leadership of Columbia. All members of the Columbian Federation would pledge to come to the aid of the other members if the need arose (like the Musketeers' "All for one, one for all."). Panama based its coinage on U.S.A. dollars and cents, but called their dollar-size coin Balboa and their cent-sized coin Centimos. 1953 was the 50th year of Panama's Independence (1903-1953) so the Panamanian authorities decided there should be a commemorative coin to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of their independence. The One Centimos was selected for that honor. The coin is of the same composition as the U.S.A. 1953 bronze Cent (0.950 copper 0.050 tin and zinc) and weighs 3.11 grams. The obverse of the One Centimos features Chief Urraca while the reverse bears the date and denomination. With the help of Don's World Coin Gallery here's a photo of that 1953 One Centavo: <a href="http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/coine.php?image=img3/138-17&desc=Panama%20km17%201%20Centesimo%20(1953)%20Anniv.%20of%20Republic&query=Panama%20km%2017" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/coine.php?image=img3/138-17&desc=Panama%20km17%201%20Centesimo%20(1953)%20Anniv.%20of%20Republic&query=Panama%20km%2017" rel="nofollow">http://worldcoingallery.com/countries/coine.php?image=img3/138-17&desc=Panama%20km17%201%20Centesimo%20(1953)%20Anniv.%20of%20Republic&query=Panama%20km%2017</a>  Here's a few bonuses to you for reading this trivia this far:  Do you remember what Commemorative $50 Coin was struck at San Francisco in 1915? HINTS:  The coin is gold. *483 of these coins are round. *645 are octagonal. * Not sure of how many they could sell, Mint officials struck 1,509 Octagonal and 1,510 Round versions. Because of the high cost of the coins and the sets, very few coins actually sold. Of the 1,510 $50 Rounds, 10 were set aside for assay purposes, 483 were sold to the public, and the remaining 1,017 coins were destroyed. The Panama-Pacific $50 Round ranks as one of the great numismatic rarities of the Twentieth Century. Of the 1,509 $50 Octagonals, 9 were set aside for assay purposes, 645 were sold to the public, and the remaining 855 coins were destroyed.  The coin was designed by Robert Aitken. Minerva is on the obverse of both shapes. An owl is on the reverse of both shapes. There are eight dolphins on the octagonal (4 obverse; 4 reverse). Think you know? The coin was minted to celebrate the opening of the Panama Canal. Here's a photo of the round courtesy of coinfacts.com <a href="http://www.coinfacts.com/gold_commemoratives/panama_pacific_50_gold.htm" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.coinfacts.com/gold_commemoratives/panama_pacific_50_gold.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.coinfacts.com/gold_commemoratives/panama_pacific_50_gold.htm</a>  Here's a photo of the octagonal courtesy of coinfacts.com: <a href="http://www.coinfacts.com/gold_commemoratives/panama_pacific_50_gold_octagonal.htm" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.coinfacts.com/gold_commemoratives/panama_pacific_50_gold_octagonal.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.coinfacts.com/gold_commemoratives/panama_pacific_50_gold_octagonal.htm</a>  There were three other Panama-Pacific coins struck in 1915 by San Francisco: Here's a photo of the Half Dollar courtesy coinfacts.com: <a href="http://www.coinfacts.com/commemoratives/half_dollar_commems/panama_pacific_half_dollar.htm" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.coinfacts.com/commemoratives/half_dollar_commems/panama_pacific_half_dollar.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.coinfacts.com/commemoratives/half_dollar_commems/panama_pacific_half_dollar.htm</a>  Here's a photo of the gold $1 courtesy of coinfacts.com: <a href="http://www.coinfacts.com/commemoratives/one_dollar_gold_commemoratives/panama_pacific_gold_dollar.htm" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.coinfacts.com/commemoratives/one_dollar_gold_commemoratives/panama_pacific_gold_dollar.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.coinfacts.com/commemoratives/one_dollar_gold_commemoratives/panama_pacific_gold_dollar.htm</a>  Here's a photo of the gold $2 1/2 (quarter-eagle) courtesy of coinfacts.com: <a href="http://www.coinfacts.com/commemoratives/two_and_one_half_dollar_gold_commemoratives/1915s_panama_pacific.htm" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.coinfacts.com/commemoratives/two_and_one_half_dollar_gold_commemoratives/1915s_panama_pacific.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.coinfacts.com/commemoratives/two_and_one_half_dollar_gold_commemoratives/1915s_panama_pacific.htm</a>  Thought you ought to know and I hope you enjoyed this trivia... Clinker[/QUOTE]

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