Obverse Design The legend "SAN BLAS ISLANDS" curves along the top. The center of the token has a Kuna sailboat (cayuca) with a boatman wearing a billed cap. There is a five-pointed star to the right of the sail, and the initials J.A.M. for John A. Mann to the left of the sail. Under the boat there are stylized waves The entire design is done in a simplistic silhouette style. The token has a smooth plain somewhat wide raised edge.
Reverse Design The legend "SIABIBI" starts at the bottom and curves along the right side of the token. SIABIBI means "little cousin" or "little niece" and was the name of John Mann's company. The center of the token shows a palm tree on an island. Under the palm tree are five coconuts (which is the value of the coin). On the upper-left side of the trunk of the palm tree is a small "V-shaped" design indicating an air-orchid called "Lady of the Night" in English, but "patience" in the Kuna language. This orchid is used as the main ingredient in a tea drunk by Indian women to give them patience. In the sky is an albatross flying, which in the Kuna language means tomorrow. So the symbolism means "Have patience, you will be paid tomorrow and will receive your five coconuts." To the left of the palm tree are the initials of the designer, CQP for Charles Q. Peters. Like the obverse, the entire design is done in a simplistic silhouette style. The token has a smooth plain somewhat wide raised edge.
Orientation Medallic orientation.
Metal Brass. Weight 9.0 grams. Size and Shape Round, 29 mm in diameter.
Dates Issued 1977.
Issurer John A. Mann, owner of the SIABIBI company.
Mintage Unknown, probably somewhere between 1000 and 5000.
Rarity Common. Manufacturer Wendell-Northwestern, Inc. of Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. Other Catalog Numbers Asociación Numismático's F-266, Conte-Porras page # 99, Henkle's Colon #55, Rulau's SB 3.
Varieties This token comes in two similar designs. The 1971 variety is has a sailboat on the obverse with no designs in the sky. The 1977 variety has a five-point star to the right of the sail, and the initials J.A.M. (John A. Mann) to the left of the sail. The 1977 variety is probably using the same dies from 1971 with the above mentioned modifications.
Function This token was issued by John Mann, one of the few non-indians allowed by the Kuna (San Blas) indians to run a business on their islands. According to Coconut Money, an article which originally appeared in the October 1978 issue of The Numismatist, John Mann issued these tokens as currency in order to replace coconuts as a medium of exchange. However, the tokens had very limited circulation; the Kuna indians hoarded them at first, and then discovered tourists would pay more than the face value of five coconuts (25 cents) for them. So the indians sold them to tourists. After the initial 1971 emission, later tokens were most likely issued solely with the purpose of being sold to tourists. They were sold in BU in Panama by dealers like Dan Sander of Numismatica Ltda for many years.
Population Count Twenty-four specimens of this token in collector hands are known to me. Recent sales include:
  1. Auction sale on ebay on February 25, 2007 for $10.50 plus $1.00 shipping for both PT-610.2 (San Blas 1977) and PT-610.3 (San Blas 1978).
  2. Auction sale on ebay on July 3, 2004 for $1.25 plus $.80 shipping.
  3. Auction sale on ebay on January 25, 2004 for $8.99 plus $1.50 shipping.
  4. Auction sale on ebay on November 19, 2003 for $4.00 plus $1.00 shipping.
  5. Auction sale on ebay on August 21, 2001 for $5.75 plus $3.00 shipping.
  6. Auction sale on ebay on June 15, 2001 for $5.01 plus $2.00 shipping.
Notes