Guatemalan Coins

A few things we should know about the two coins shown in the picture above.

First, the 25 centavos coin is normally known as a “choca” coin in Guatemala; as in give a choca. A choca used to be a lot of money in the 80s as one could have paid the metropolitan public transit fare both ways, bought two shucos and a coca colar with una choca.

The 25 centavos coin measures twenty-seven millimeters in diameter, weighs eight grams and is made from an alloy of copper, zinc and nickel.

Second, the “One Quetzal” coin was created to commemorate the signage of the Peace Accords of December 29, 1996. The front of the coin reads the word Paz (peace) as part of a stylized dove and the sentence Paz Firme y Duradera (Firm and Long Lasting Peace).

I believe the “One Quetzal” coin is now too expensive to produce and that’s why Banco de Guatemala began reintroducing the 1 quetzal bill. The “One Quetzal” coin is so similar to the choca coin that often people confuse them.

The “One Quetzal” coin is measures twenty-nine millimeters in diameters, weighs eleven grams and is made from an alloy of copper, zinc and nickel.

Want to learn more about the Guatemalan coins and bills? Just follow the white rabbit.

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