REPUBLIC OF COSTA RICA
125th ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATING THE DEATH OF NATIONAL HERO JUAN SANTAMARÍA (1856-1981)
GOLD FIVE-THOUSAND COLÓNES COIN CERTIFIED BY NGC PROOF 68 ULTRA CAMEO
OBV: NATIONAL ARMS; DENOMINATION BELOW.
REV: FACING 3/4 LEFT, DEPICTION OF JUAN SANTAMARÍA HOLDING TORCH ALOFT WITH RIGHT HAND AND RIFLE WITH BAYONNET IN LEFT HAND (BASED ON HIS STATUE IN ALAJUELA); DATES FLANKING.
KM # 208
JUAN SANTAMARÍA (1831-1856) IS THE OFFICIAL NATIONAL HERO OF COSTA RICA.
HE WAS A PART OF THE ARMY SENT BY COSTA RICA TO FIGHT AGAINST NICARAGUA, WHICH WAS UNDER THE THRALL OF AMERICAN ADVENTURER WILLAM WALKER.
WALKER WANTED TO FORGE AN ENGLISH SPEAKING SLAVE-HOLDING EMPIRE, AND SUCCEDED IN BECOMING PRESIDENT OF NICARAGUA IN 1856 IN A COUP THAT OVERTHREW THE GOVERNMENT.
A POOR LABORER, SANTAMARÍA JOINED THE ARMY THAT WAS FORMED TO STOP THE INVADER. HE JOINED AS A DRUMMER BOY, AND FOLLOWED THE ARMY INTO NICARAGUA. THE ARMY, A COALITION OF CENTRAL AMERICAN STATES, SUCCEDED IN ROUTING WALKER AND HIS MEN, BUT DURING A FIERCE BATTLE CALLED THE SECOND BATTLE OF RIVAS, THE ARMY COULD NOT DISLODGE THE ENEMY FROM A STRATEGIC POSITION IN A HOSTEL AT THE CENTER OF THE TOWN.
THE COMMANDING GENERAL ASKED FOR VOLUNTEERS TO CHARGE THE POSITION AND PUT IT TO THE TORCH. SOME TRIED AND FAILED, THEN SANTAMARÍA VOLUNTEERED. HE ASKED THAT HIS MOTHER BE TAKEN CARE OF, AND ADVANCED ON THE HOSTEL. HE WAS MORTALLY WOUNDED, BUT HAD SUCCEEDED IN SETTING THE HOTEL ABLAZE AND DISLODGING THE ENEMY.
HE IS HONORED IN HIS HOME TOWN OF ALAJUELA WITH THE STATUE WHICH WAS ERECTED IN HIS HONOR IN 1891.
CONTAINS 15 GRAMS OF .900 FINE GOLD (.4340 OZ AGW)
26 MM IN DIAMETER
ONLY 2,000 MINTED!
CENTRAL BANK OF COSTA RICA
