Michael: Money

Out of the darkness
The stallion brays like the horse
In Young Frankenstein.

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Money, as the song goes, it’s a sin. But at least here it’s a very easy to convert sin.

In Panama they use U.S currency, though they also use coins that mimic the size and value of U.S. coins. Their dollar coin is the Balboa. The half dollar is the medio Balboa. Their quarter is the cuartro Balboa. Denominations less than that are referred to by their value in centavos. 10 cents - 10 centavos. 5 cents - 5 centavos. 1 cent - 1 centavo.

Either Balboa or the crest of Panama are printed on the coins. If Balboa’s on the front, the crest is on the back. On one of the nickels I have, the  number 5 is in large print in the center and the crest is on the flip side.

About the only difference between using money here and in the states is here, they’re just as likely to give you dollar coins as they are to give you dollars. That still throws me off a little.

And also, for some reason, certain conspiracy theorists here believe that now’s a good time to hoard Balboa’s as a hedge against some upcoming economic crises in the states that’s going to significantly devalue the dollar relative to the Balboa coin. Why or how that would work I don’t know or plan on investigating.