The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas honored Filipino heroes Emilio Aguinaldo, Teresa Magbanua, and Mariano Ponce in new commemorative P100-peso coins, the bank announced on Facebook.
The commemorative coins were created with nordic gold, each weighing about 15 grams with a diameter of 34 millimeters, the BSP said.
“As the depository and custodian of the country’s numismatic heritage, the central bank releases commemorative coins that feature significant events in Philippine history, landmarks, and legacies of esteemed Filipinos,” the bank wrote on Facebook. Like regular-issue coins, commemorative are deemed legal tender unless they are demonetized, the BSP said.
According to the BSP, the coins were sold on the online BSP store at P350 each but were immediately sold out due to high demand.
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas minted the coins in honor of the three heroes’ birth anniversaries.
The bank commemorated the 150th birth anniversary of Emilio Aguinaldo, recognized as the first president of the Philippine republic after fighting for the country’s independence from Spain in June 1898.
Meanwhile, the BSP described Teresa Magbanua as the “Filipina fighter from Visayas” who was the only woman to lead troops in Visayas during the Philippine revolution. The bank minted the coin in honor of her 150th birth anniversary.
The BSP also honored the 100th birth anniversary of Mariano Ponce, who co-founded La Solidaridad with national hero Jose Rizal and served as an important figure in the Philippine revolution.
According to the BSP, most commemorative coins are produced in limited quantities and are minted from precious metals such as gold and silver, “attracting great interest from numismatists and the public.”
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