BSP introduces new 

coins in circulation 

TAGBILARAN CITY, May 24 (PIA)—What has kappa-kapa, tayabak, waling-waling, katomon, kapalkapal baging and mangkono have in common? 

Well, apart from them representing the best of Philippine flora, these would soon be in everyone’s pockets as these are embossed in the new generation coins which the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is starting to introduce into circulation as the initial step in replacing the two decades-old coins. 

The same complements the NGC paper bills which has Philippine fauna in them, BSP information Officer Hazel Cultura shared. 

And unlike the old coins, common among all the new generation currency coin series of P10, P5, P1, 25 sentimo, 5 sentimo and 1 sentimo is that all are minted with nickel plates and are this shiny silver, points out. 

Previous coins have been accordingly mutilated as people started to extract the metal content, Cultura added. 

This time, by nickel plating, the country’s central monetary authority has assured a less-corrosive, discoloration proofed and improved durability by using enhanced minting technology to discourage counterfeiters. 

Bringing their information advocacy to the Kapihan sa PIA, the BSP through Cultura said they needed to get people knowing, because unlike the easily recognizable old coins through their colors, the new ones need a little bit more of familiarity. 

There are still a lot of similarities, Cultura pointed out. 

She said the new generation currency coin series still have the faces of heroes as their most prominent visual feature in the obverse, the same year mark, mint mark and the Republika ng Pilipinas are still there. 

When the old P10 coin feature Apolinario Mabini and Andres Bonifacio, the new P10, only shows Mabini. 

As it still has the Republika ng Pilipinas in full print and microprint, the P10 feature the kapakapa, new BSP logo, microprints and micro dots in the obverse side. 

The new P5 coin on the other hand, has Andres Bonifacio and the P5 mark Republika ng Pilipinas, year and mint mark and microprints, the tayabak is a prominent embossed feature along with the new BSP logo in the coin’s obverse side, she showed. 

For the new P1 coin, the prominent hero mark is Jose Rizal and still sports the Republika ng Pilipinas and the same year and mint marks found in the old coins. 

But in the reverse of the P1, the waling-waling is shown embossed with the new BSP logo. 

The new coins also feature a unique three starts and a sun, instead of the embossed number and the Republika ng Pilipinas marks. 

The 25 sentimo’s reverse side however shows the embossed katmon and the new BSP logo. 

He 5 sentimo has embossed kapalkapal baging in the reverse with the new BSP logo while in the 1 sentimo, the embossed mangkono and the new BSP logo is seen. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol) 

BSP’s Hazel Cultura shows the edge of the new coins as another feature of the new generation currency coin series. BSP said it is now just right that people start to take a good hard look at the new coins so they would not be mistaken by the value, as these coins are now in the markets prior to the formal launching in July. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)