Obverse Design The legend "PALO SECO" (meaning "dry stick") curves along the top. The legend "CANAL ZONE" curves along the bottom. The token has a square hole in the center. The token has denticles along the rim and a smooth plain raised edge.
Reverse Design The legend "REDEEMABLE FOR" curves along the top. The legend "FIFTY CENTS"in smaller letters curves under the top line and above the square center hole. Under the hole is the number "50". The legend "IN MERCHANDISE" curves along the bottom. The token has denticles along the rim and a smooth plain raised edge.
Metal Aluminum. Weight 2.7 grams. Size and Shape Round, 30.9 mm in diameter with a round 12.5 mm center hole.
Dates Issued 1919.
Issurer Palo Seco Leper Colony.
Mintage 1000. Of these, 830 were destroyed on November 28, 1955.
Rarity Rare. Manufacturer Unknown. Other Catalog Numbers Asociación Numismático's F-223, Conte Porras page #108, Henkle's Canal Zone #91, KM #TN5 (Krause Mishler), MGM #704 (), Plumer page #7 and Schimmel #56.
Varieties Only one variety known.
Function Medium of exchange for the inhabitants of the Palo Seco leper colony. They were not allowed to use regular money in circulation for fear that other people handling the money would catch leprosy.
Population Count Thirteen specimens of this token in collector hands are known to me. Recent sales include:
  1. Auction sale on ebay on August 20, 2006 for $576.00 plus $13.00 shipping.
  2. Offered for sale on ebay in auction ending April 9, 2006 for $1500.00 but went unsold. Was not offered again while other memebers of the same set were. Probably was sold privately at close to the asking price.
  3. Auction sale on ebay on July 18, 2004 for $355.00.
  4. Auction sale on ebay on June 15, 2003 for $517.55.
  5. Auction sale on ebay on November 13, 2002 for $1004.00.
Notes

See the for the interesting story behind these tokens.