The History and Symbolism Behind a Beautiful Guatemalan Coin

This is a mint state coin with colorful blue/green and gold toning and orange and red speckles around obverse and reverse rims.

Country: Guatemala; Date and Series: 1960; KM #261
Denomination: 5 Cent Silver
Mintage: 4,770,000
Diameter: 16 mm
Reeded edge with denticled obverse and reverse inside rim
Alloy: Silver .0386 oz.; Weight: 1.6670 grams

The obverse national coat of arms of Guatemala is inscribed on the front [National Coat is a Quetzal bird perched on a scroll stating "Liberty on September 15 1821" (in Spanish) in the center, with crossed swords and muskets across the background. An ornate wreath surrounds all]. On the upper part, and around this, the inscription will be: REPUBLICA DE GUATEMALA (Republic of Guatemala); and along the bottom, in a circular form, the silver content (.720 oz) and the year of minting (1960).

One the reverse, the tree of liberty (Kapok Tree on swampy, rooted ground); in the center field and left the number five (5), with the word "CENTAVOS" (cents) below; and at the foot of the tree, the old patriotic motto: "LIBRE CREZCA FECUNDO" (Grow Free and Fertile).

Symbolic and historical context of the coin

Quetzal bird: The Quetzal is a striking bird with long tail feathers of iridescent green and blue, up to three feet in length in the male. For the Aztecs and the Maya the bird was a symbol of light and life. The long tail feathers were used in headdresses of the Mayan royalty.

Legend has it that in 1525, when the conquerors under the command of Don Pedro de Alvarado attacked the town of Xela-hu (now Quetzaltenango) and slaughtered the Mayan Indian warriors, the spirits of those warriors inhabited Quetzals that were flying in the forests. That night, the birds landed and posed themselves with open wings on the Mayan cadavers, where they remained overnight. Upon re-arrival of the Spanish the morning, the birds took to flight stained with the blood of the fallen warriors. The legend has it that ever since then, quetzals have had their beautiful red chests.

Kapok tree: The majestic Kapok tree of the tropical Guatemala rainforests. It can grow to a height of 150 feet or more, towering over other trees in the rainforest. The straight trunks are cylindrical, smooth and gray in color, and can reach a diameter of nine feet. Large spines protrude from the trunk to discourage damage to the trunk. Thin, plank-type buttresses stabilize the giant and can extend to 30 feet. The branches grow in horizontal tiers, and spread widely. The crown has an open umbrella shape.

Many plants and animals grow and live in the branches of the kapok tree. Birds nest in it, and mammals use the huge branches as highways. Frogs breed in the pools of water that collect in the Bromeliads. In many places, the straight trunks of the Kapok tree are used to make dugout canoes. The white, fluffy seed covering is used in pillows and mattresses. Since it is buoyant and water-resistant, it is often used in flotation devices and padding. The seeds, leaves, bark and resin have been used to treat dysentery, fever, asthma and kidney disease. In Mayan myths, the Kapok tree was sacred. They believed that the souls of the dead would climb up into the branches that reached into heaven.