The Central Bank of Costa Rica has begun circulating a new CRC 500 coin commemorating the 200th anniversary of the Annexation of the Partido de Nicoya and set 1 July 2025 as the date when the previous CRC 500 coin design will cease to be legal tender. The new CRC 500 coin is bimetallic, with a silver-coloured copper-nickel core and a gold-coloured outer ring made from a copper, zinc and nickel alloy. Its main security feature is a latent image that changes from “500” to “BCCR” when the coin is tilted. The reverse includes the text “200 años de la Anexión del Partido de Nicoya 1824-2024” and “De la patria por nuestra voluntad”, alongside design elements including the territory of the Partido de Nicoya and the outline of Guanacaste, the Guanacaste tree, an indigenous seal from Costa Rica’s North Pacific, and a woman in traditional dress. The central bank said the outgoing coin is the prior gold-coloured CRC 500 piece with a 33 millimetre diameter, which must be exchanged or deposited at financial institutions from 1 July 2025. Replacement will occur gradually through entities in the national financial system, and the bank confirmed the new CRC 500 coin remains valid for all transactions regardless of the reverse design.
Central Bank of Costa Rica 2025-01-20
Central Bank of Costa Rica puts commemorative CRC 500 coin into circulation and retires prior 500-coin design from 1 July 2025
The Central Bank of Costa Rica introduced a new bimetallic CRC 500 coin to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Annexation of the Partido de Nicoya, with the previous design ceasing to be legal tender on 1 July 2025. The new coin features a latent image security feature and design elements reflecting Costa Rican heritage. The outgoing gold-coloured CRC 500 coin must be exchanged or deposited at financial institutions starting 1 July 2025.