Guatemalan and Paraguayan variations

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If you delve into Latin America, you will uncover a surprising amount of numismatic oddities.

It is usual to find the occasional design variation applied to a coin.

However, Guatemala and Paraguay seem to have pursued a deliberate campaign, over recent decades, of instituting radical amendments to their standard circulation designs.

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Here is one of my favourite designs, showing the rather eerie Quirigua Monolith.

It is seen here on a Guatemalan 10 centavos coin of 1994.

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The further back you go, the more interesting it gets. Here is an earlier version of the design, from 1964.

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And here is a still earlier version, from 1952.

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The Guatemalan 25 centavos coin provides another example of this phenomenon.

Here is an early version, from 1950, of a Guatemalan woman in traditional costume.

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1964, and the design has been radically updated.

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1998, and extra detail has been added.

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Guatemala, 5 centavos, 1950.  The kapok tree, or silk cotton tree.

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1967, and we have a new look, though this design may have been introduced earlier.

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1977, and beads replace the dentillations.

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In the year 2000, the surrounding vegetation appears more luxuriant.

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Paraguay now: 5 guaranies of 1978.  A Paraguayan woman holds a jug.

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1992, and spot the differences.

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Paraguay, 50 guaranies, 1975.   Acaray River Dam.

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Paraguay, 50 guaranies, 1980.




Paraguay, 50 guaranies, 2008.

And here are the heavily amended versions of 1980 and 2008.