The Banco Central (Central Bank) has decided to make life a little easier in Costa Rica with the elimination the "plateado" (silver) ¢5, ¢10 and ¢20 coins.The coins being removed from circulation are large and heavy silver coins, not to be confused with the smaller and lighter silver coins of the same denomination.
The Central Bank estimates there are some 146 million of the coins in circulation.
Marvin Alvarado, director of the Central Bank's treasury, said that the eliminatin of the three coins will simplify the coin system, having only one size coin for each denomination.
The smaller silver coins are the same at the gold coins of the same denomination and include braille for easy identfication by the blind.
Alvardao said merchants are asked to accept the coins but not put them back in circulation, handing them over to their local bank, which in turns hands them back to the Central Bank.
Currently there eleven (11) coins in circulation: ¢5 (two in silver and one in gold), ¢10 (two in silver and one in gold), ¢20, ¢25, ¢50, ¢100 and ¢500.
Source: insidecostarica.com
