QUETZAL: COIN OF GUATEMALA
1 quetzal, 1999: Republic of Guatemala
1 Quetzal.
Paz Firme y Duradera — 29 de Diciembre de 1996: Firm and Lasting Peace — December 29, 1996 (signing a peace treaty with partisan groups: Civil war raged in Guatemala from 1960 to 1996).
Stylized inscription in Spanish "Paz" ("Peace") and a dove of peace.
REPUBLICA DE GUATEMALA: Republic of Guatemala.
Coat of arms of Guatemala: a scroll of parchment with the words "LIBERTAD 15 DE SETIEMBRE DE 1821" (the date of declaration the Independence of Guatemala from the Spanish Empire), a quetzal bird as the symbol of national independence and autonomy, two rifles and two swords crossed with a wreath of laurel.
- Nickel brass: 29 mm - 11 g
- Reference price: 0.6$
COIN QUETZAL — WHERE & WHEN (coins catalog: by names & emitents)
- REPUBLIC OF GUATEMALA (1925-...): quetzal = 100 centavos
QUETZAL as coin name.
Quetzal is the currency of Guatemala since 1925, divided into 100 centavos. Introduced in place of the Guatemalan peso.
The first series of quetzal coins (silver ¼, ½ and 1, as well as gold 5, 10 and 20) were issued in relatively small quantities and dated 1925-1926. The only exceptions were the ¼ quetzal coins, whose regular minting lasted until the end of the 1940s.
The regular emission of quetzals in the form of coins was resumed as early as 1992. At first, these were only commemorative silver coins.
However, the resumption of the use of circulating quetzal coins took place in 1999 — exchangeable Guatemalan centavos of various denominations and a circulating coin of 1 quetzal appeared.
The national currency of Guatemala is named after the quetzal bird (The resplendent quetzal), which was sacred to the ancient Aztecs and Mayas, and is today considered a Guatemalan state symbol (even depicted on the coat of arms). By the way, the feathers of the quetzal bird played the role of money among the mentioned peoples.
Also, the quetzal is a symbol of freedom due to an interesting feature of this freedom-loving bird: it dies of a heart attack when it gets into a cage.
