No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeTopicsArts and CultureDiscover Costa Rica's History Through Money at Numismatic Museum

Discover Costa Rica’s History Through Money at Numismatic Museum

History buffs and money lovers alike now have the opportunity to witness the evolution of how Costa Ricans have done business over the course of the past half-millennium, with the reopening of Banco Central de Costa Rica’s Numismatic Museum, after remodeling, and the unveiling of a historical currency exhibit at the National Museum in downtown San José this week.

“If money could talk, it would definitely tell us about the political, economic, and cultural aspects under which it was created,” said Manuel Chacón, curator of the Numismatic Museum.

The Numismatic Museum, located within the Banco Central Museum complex in San José’s Plaza de la Cultura, is the result of 55 years of collecting and research by Banco Central and its former president, Jaime Solera, who officially inaugurated the museum in 1990. Solera’s personal collection and Banco Central’s existing collection made up a combined compilation of more than 5,000 historical money-related items, some dating as far back as 1502, which were donated to the Numismatic Museum in 1997.

The National Museum exhibit, entitled “Money that Tells Stories,” is on display now through May 2006, and is made up of objects from the Banco Central collection. It features “260 Costa Rican coins, bills, and forms of commercial exchange” collected from 1828-1949, according to a statement.

Some of the finest pieces in the exhibit include gold and silver coins dating back to when Costa Rica belonged to the Central American Federal Republic following its independence in 1821, and examples of some of the first colones, from when they were established as currency in 1896.

The Numismatic Museum is open every day, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., and costs ¢1,000 ($2) for residents and ¢3,000 ($6) for foreigners.

The National Museum is open Tuesday to Saturday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., and Sundays, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Entrance to the money exhibit is included in the cost of general admission, which is ¢500 ($1) for residents, free for Costa Rican students and senior citizens, ¢2,000 ($4) for foreigners, and ¢1,000 ($2) for foreign students with ID.

Trending Now

Costa Rica’s Top Court Bans President Chaves from 2026 Election Campaign

Costa Rica’s Supreme Electoral Tribunal on Thursday barred President Rodrigo Chaves from participating in the 2026 election campaign, ruling that he "illegitimately used" his...

Costa Rica Green Hotels Lead Global Sustainable Tourism

Costa Rica’s reputation as a leader in sustainable tourism grows stronger every year, with our green hotels setting a high bar for eco-conscious hospitality...

An Expat’s Take: 5 Burning Questions About Life in Costa Rica Right Now

Have you been keeping up with the various events taking place in Costa Rica? There is always something interesting going down, and here are...

Celso Gamboa Allegedly Ran Drug Ring with Costa Rican Government Ties

Celso Gamboa, once Costa Rica’s Security Minister and a Supreme Court judge, now faces extradition to the U.S. for leading a major cocaine trafficking...

Retired Nicaraguan Army Captain Sentenced to 50 Years for Treason

A retired military officer was sentenced to 50 years in prison in Nicaragua for the crime of "treason against the homeland," his family denounced...

Costa Rica’s Piangua Mollusk Threatened by Pineapple Farm Runoff

Costa Rica’s Térraba-Sierpe National Wetland, a 33,000-hectare haven of mangroves and rivers, is under siege from an unlikely source: pineapple farms. A study by...
spot_img
Costa Rica Tours
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica