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Costa Rica Banknotes: History, Notable Notes & Collecting Guide
The Central American nation famous for its biodiversity puts that reputation right on its money. Costa Rica's colorful colon notes pair national heroes with sloths, sharks, hummingbirds, and Morpho butterflies, and today the whole circulating family is printed on polymer.
Last updated: July 2026
Costa Rica's currency is the Costa Rican colon (symbol ₡, ISO 4217 code CRC), issued by the Banco Central de Costa Rica (Central Bank of Costa Rica). The colon was introduced in 1896, replacing the peso at par, and is subdivided into 100 centimos. The Central Bank has been the country's banknote issuer since 1950, and the modern "wildlife" series celebrates Costa Rican ecosystems on notes now printed entirely on Guardian polymer.
What is the history of Costa Rica's banknotes?
The colon takes its name from Cristobal Colon, the Spanish name for Christopher Columbus. It replaced the Costa Rican peso in 1896. For the first half of the twentieth century, notes were issued by several different banks. That changed when the Banco Central de Costa Rica took over paper money in 1950, and the Central Bank has been the sole issuer ever since (source: Wikipedia, Costa Rican colon).
The look most collectors recognize today arrived with the wildlife and ecosystem series rolled out between 2009 and 2012. Each denomination received its own color and size, with a national historical figure on the front and one of Costa Rica's signature ecosystems on the back (source: Banco Central de Costa Rica). The green ₡10,000 note is a good example of how the designs tell the country's story: it honors José Figueres Ferrer under the theme "Abolition of the Army," a nod to Costa Rica's 1948 decision to dissolve its military (source: Banco Central de Costa Rica).
Costa Rica then became one of Latin America's polymer pioneers. The ₡1,000 became the country's first polymer note in 2011. Following a 2017 decision by the Central Bank's board, the rest of the family was converted in stages: the ₡20,000 in November 2020, the ₡2,000 and ₡5,000 in December 2020, and the ₡1,000 and ₡10,000 on October 15, 2021, completing the full switch to Guardian polymer. The older paper notes of these denominations were withdrawn in 2022 (sources: Coin World; International Association of Currency Affairs).
The polymer switch was also a durability and anti-counterfeiting win. According to the Central Bank, no counterfeit ₡1,000 polymer notes were detected between 2011 and 2021 (source: International Association of Currency Affairs).
Which Costa Rican notes are most notable to collectors?
The appeal of the modern series is its theme: a gallery of national figures paired with the ecosystems that make Costa Rica one of the most biodiverse places on Earth. The table below summarizes the wildlife series by denomination. It is a general overview, not a price list.
| Note | Color | Front figure | Ecosystem & wildlife (back) | Substrate / status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ₡1,000 | Red | Braulio Carrillo Colina | Tropical dry forest with Guanacaste tree and white-tailed deer | Polymer First polymer note, 2011 |
| ₡2,000 | Blue | Mauro Fernández Acuña | Coral reef with bull shark and red cushion sea star | Polymer Converted 2020 |
| ₡5,000 | Yellow | Alfredo González Flores | Mangrove forest with white-headed capuchin monkey | Polymer Converted 2020 |
| ₡10,000 | Green | José Figueres Ferrer | Rainforest with brown-throated sloth and orchid | Polymer Converted 2021 |
| ₡20,000 | Orange | María Isabel Carvajal (Carmen Lyra) | Paramo highlands with volcano hummingbird | Polymer Converted 2020 |
| ₡50,000 | Violet | Ricardo Jiménez Oreamuno | Cloud forest with blue Morpho butterfly | Paper Withdrawn June 2020 |
Two notes tend to draw the most collector interest. The ₡1,000 is historically important as the country's first polymer banknote. The ₡50,000, the highest denomination and the only one still printed on paper, features former president Ricardo Jiménez Oreamuno and a striking cloud-forest scene built around the blue Morpho butterfly. It was withdrawn from circulation on June 4, 2020, though it remains legal tender, which makes surviving uncirculated examples a natural target for a colon collection (source: Leftover Currency).
How do you start a Costa Rica banknote collection?
Costa Rica is a friendly place to begin because the theme is clear and the modern set is small and affordable. A few practical approaches:
- Collect the wildlife set. Assembling the full run of colors and ecosystems, from the red ₡1,000 dry forest to the violet ₡50,000 cloud forest, makes a complete, visually satisfying display.
- Compare paper and polymer. Because the same designs exist as older paper notes and newer polymer notes, a side-by-side pairing tells the substrate story on its own.
- Chase the withdrawn note. The paper ₡50,000 Morpho butterfly is no longer issued, so uncirculated survivors are worth prioritizing while they are still readily found.
- Mind condition. As with any modern series, value follows grade. Learn the ladder in our banknote grading guide, and consider professionally graded banknotes for the notes you care about most.
New to world paper money in general? Start with our guide to collecting world banknotes and keep the banknote glossary handy for terms like UNC, EPQ, and substrate.
Where can you buy Costa Rican banknotes?
Planet Banknote carries Costa Rican colon notes in our Costa Rica country collection. Every note is sourced directly, inspected, and shipped with documentation, so you know exactly what you are getting.
Planet Banknote is a family-owned dealership in Sarasota, Florida, founded in 2021. Every note is sourced direct from mints, central banks, and authorized distributors, inspected through our Planet Banknote Verified process, and ships with a free Certificate of Authenticity. US orders ship free via USPS Priority, and every order includes a free bonus gift.
Frequently asked questions
What is the currency of Costa Rica?
Costa Rica's currency is the Costa Rican colon (symbol ₡, ISO code CRC), issued by the Banco Central de Costa Rica. It was introduced in 1896 and is subdivided into 100 centimos.
Are Costa Rican banknotes made of polymer?
Yes. Every note in the current circulating series (₡1,000, ₡2,000, ₡5,000, ₡10,000, and ₡20,000) is printed on Guardian polymer. The ₡1,000 was Costa Rica's first polymer note in 2011, and the country completed its full polymer conversion on October 15, 2021.
Why do Costa Rican banknotes show animals and ecosystems?
The modern wildlife series pairs a national historical figure on the front of each note with one of Costa Rica's ecosystems on the back, from tropical dry forest and coral reef to rainforest and cloud forest, celebrating the country's biodiversity.
What is the highest-denomination Costa Rican banknote?
The ₡50,000 note, featuring former president Ricardo Jiménez Oreamuno and a cloud-forest scene with a blue Morpho butterfly, was the highest denomination. It is a paper note that was withdrawn from circulation on June 4, 2020, though it remains legal tender.
Are Costa Rican banknotes worth collecting?
Yes. The colorful wildlife series is popular for its design, and older withdrawn paper notes like the ₡50,000 Morpho butterfly are sought after. Condition drives value, so collectors look for uncirculated notes and often prefer professionally graded examples.