Catalog
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| Issuer | Belize (1973-date) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1978 |
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| Diameter | 27 mm |
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| Obverse description | The complete coat of arms of Belize occupies the central field, flanked by two woodcutters serving as supporters, each holding a tool — an axe on the left and a paddle on the right — with a mahogany tree rising above the quartered shield. The shield bears crossed tools in the upper quarters and a sailing vessel in the lower portion, with the national motto SUB UMBRA FLOREO inscribed on a scroll beneath. The date 1978 and the fineness statement 500/1000 FINE GOLD appear in the lower field, while the legend BELIZE and ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS arcs along the left and right periphery respectively, all enclosed within a beaded border. |
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| Mint | (FM) Franklin Mint (The Franklin Mint), Wawa, Pennsylvania, United States (1964-date) |
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| Additional information |
Belize gained independence from Britain in 1981, but this coin predates that moment — issued while the country was still British Honduras in all but name, having only adopted the name Belize in 1973 under a new constitution. Itzamna, the supreme deity of the Maya pantheon, was a deliberate choice for a young nation asserting a pre-colonial identity distinct from its colonial administration.
The .500 fineness is notably low for a gold commemorative of this period, when most sovereign gold issues ran at .900 or better. It kept the face value credible without committing to a heavier fine gold content.