| Obverse Design |
Indian Bust facing left with the legend "WOODEN NICKEL" above. Circle around the Indian Bust and legend. This design is apparently the "1. Indian head without U.S.A." design on the Old Time Wooden Nickel Company's museum page. |
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| Reverse Design | Legend "Columbus Club" above. Legend "Balboa Canal Zone" below. The center has the legend "MERRY CHRISTMAS 1970". | ||||
| Color | Black print on natural wood. | ||||
| Material | Wood. | Weight | About 2.5 grams. | Size and Shape | Round, 37.5 mm in diameter. |
| Dates Issued | Christmas, 1970 | ||||
| Issuer |
Columbus Club based in Balboa, Canal Zone. Tentatively identified as part of the Knights of Colombus organization, which frequently shortens its name to "Columbus Club". The Knights of Columbus is a Catholic men's organization which engages in assistance to sick, disabled and needy members and their families as well as public relief efforts. The organization has over a million members in different parts of the world including Panama. The Catholic Churches in the vicinity of Balboa were St. Mary's Mission in Balboa and Sacred Heart Chapel in Ancon. Please e-mail me if you know more about the Columbus Club of Balboa. Columbus Club also issued some plastic tokens in different denominations. |
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| Mintage | Unknown. | ||||
| Rarity | Scarce. | Manufacturer | Probably the Old Time Wooden Nickel Company. | Other Catalog Numbers | Asociación Numismático's FM-4, Henkle's CZ-9. |
| Varieties | There is a similar variety celebrating New Year 1971, and a second New Year 1971 variety with a totally different obverse. | ||||
| Function | The function of this piece is unknown besides what can be deduced from the piece itself. It could be a souvenir from the Columbus Club. The club may have raised money for charity, and the wooden nickel was given to donors in appreciation. Please e-mail me if you have information about the club or this piece. | ||||
| Population Count | Five specimens in collector hands are known to me. I do not know of any recent sales. | ||||
From "The Panama Canal" photo book, author unknown