10 Cents Long-Tailed Hermit, Silver

The Long-Tailed Hermit series in silver was struck for collectors rather than circulation — Belize had only gained independence from Britain in 1981, and the new Central Bank moved quickly to establish a wildlife-themed proof coinage as part of its early foreign exchange strategy. The silver variant of KM#85a ran concurrently with the standard cupro-nickel circulation issue, distinguished by composition alone.

At 2.79g, the silver content is modest — consistent with the Pobjoy Mint's production approach for small-denomination collector issues of this period.