Nicaragua: New (?) Circulation Coins

[chrisild]

The Central Bank of Nicaragua just issued three new coins: 25 centavos, 50 centavos and 5 córdobas. The announcement came in early June, along with images of the pieces, except ... there is nothing new.

The designs are the same as before, the compositions seem to be mostly identical too (25 centavos – aluminum now; the other two – stainless steel as before). I even did a news search, and found lots of articles that pretty much repeated what the central bank had published. The new pieces are dated 2022; previous coins are from 2014.

[chrisild]

Just got a response from a fellow collector in a German language forum: Seems that for the 50-centavo and 5-córdoba coins the difference is that the "old" pieces were nickel plated steel, while the new ones are "non-plated" steel.

[stef]

Just got a response from a fellow collector in a German language forum: Seems that for the 50-centavo and 5-córdoba coins the difference is that the "old" pieces were nickel plated steel, while the new ones are "non-plated" steel.

Still not clear to me. The central bank site gives the material of the previous coins as ,,Acero electrochapado de níquel". In the press releases it was steel (acero inoxidable).

[Figleaf]

Once circulated, stainless steel (a tad more grey-blueish) will be very hard to distinguish from a nickel coating (more whitish). With either a sensitive hand or sensitive equipment you might feel the difference that stainless steel is slightly more less magnetic.

Peter

[Pabitra]

The Central Bank of Nicaragua just issued three new coins: 25 centavos, 50 centavos and 5 córdobas.

Very good news, Chrisild.Thanks.

1 Córdoba was already issued in Stainless Steel on 27/2/23.
Now we need to wait for 10 Córdoba coin, if that is to be issued.

This follows increasing trend of moving from Nickel plated  Mild Steel to Stainless Steel, in view of Nickel toxicity which is becoming a world wide concern, especially because of throwing of coins in wishing wells, fountains, open water bodies etc.

Mild steel with almost 100 percent iron ( less than 0.25 percent carbon ) is more malleable, highly magnetic and heavier than stainless steel ( 83 percent iron, 17 percent Cromium). Stainless Steel coins do away with the additional step of electroplating with Nickel and perhaps turnout to be cheaper in the long run.

However, adoption of Aluminium for 25 centavos is not the right choice. Recently Costa Rica (10 Colones ) and Rwanda ( 1 Franc ) moved from Aluminium to Stainless Steel.

[Pabitra]

1 Cordoba has also been issued in stainless steel.
The weights of the coins are slightly different from the previous ones.