Between anniversaries and art, 2026 not only marks important dates for the Bank of Guatemala (Banguat), also reinforces a clear commitment: using numismatics as a way to tell the history of the country.
In the words of its president, Álvaro González Ricci, it is about going beyond the value of a currency and turning it into a piece with meaning: “The quetzal is one of the most stable currencies in the world, and these instruments allow us to generate confidence in the work of the bank.”
But this year, that strategy will have several key moments, and the first of them will be Civic Centerwhich commemorates 70 years of history.
Silver coins celebrating 70 years of the Civic Center
As part of this commemoration, Banguat launches its first commemorative coin seriesa silver collection dedicated to five artists whose works are part of the Civic Center.
This urban complex, built between the 1950s and 1960sis one of the greatest symbols of modernism in Guatemala. Emblematic buildings such as:
- Municipality of Guatemala
- National Mortgage Credit
In addition to its institutional value, the Civic Center It stands out for integrating architecture and art in the same space, with murals that today inspire this collection.
How many coins will there be and how will they be sold?
In total, they were minted 12,500 piecesdistributed like this:
- 2,000 collection cases (each with 5 coins)
- 500 individual coins for each artist
Price:
- Complete case: Q2,000
- Individual currency: Q450
Sale: of the May 25 to 29
(Pre-sale is expected due to high demand)
Coin characteristics
The coins were minted by the house Mincovňa Kremnicain Slovakia, and their designs were approved by the artists’ families.
Each piece was designed as a collector’s item:
- Material: 925 silver (with copper)
- Diameter: 33mm (bigger than Q1 coin)
In it obverseall include the coat of arms of Guatemalatogether with the legend “Republic of Guatemala” and the year 2026.
This is what the coins look like, one by one
Each coin combines the artist’s face with elements of his most representative murals:
Guillermo Grajeda Mena
Includes a stylized indigenous figure taken from the mural The conquestin the Municipality. The scene incorporates symbols of cultural and religious change.
Roberto González Goyri
A high-relief hand stands out, inspired by the mural Guatemalan Nationality of the IGSS, symbol of Mayan heritage.
Carlos Merida
Integrate elements of the mural Social Securitywith its characteristic geometric and abstract language.
Efrain Recinos
It is based on the National Mortgage Credit mural on the evolution of commerce, from barter to industrialization.
Dagoberto Vasquez Castañeda
Presents a fragment of the mural Economy and Culture of the Bank of Guatemala, inspired by the Mayan worldview.
A historic year
González Ricci remembers that, in addition to the 70 years of the Civic Centerthis 2026 will be marked by two other key milestones for the country: the 80 years of the Bank of Guatemalafounded on July 1, 1946and the 100 years of central banking in Guatemala.
According to him, these dates will not go unnoticed, as the bank prepares additional announcements and commemorative activities throughout the year.