(sold for $906.0)

1926, Guatemala (Republic). Beautiful Large Gold 10 Quetzales Coin. 16.69gm!

Mint Year: 1926
Mintage: 18,000 pcs.
Reference: KM-245. R!
Condition: A nice XF-AU!
Denomination: 10 Quetzales
Material: Gold (0.900)
Weight: 16.69gm
Diameter: 27mm

Obverse: A bird (Quetzal, the national bird of Guatemala) perched on an inscribed column. Value (10) in left field, denomination (QUETZALES) below.
Legend: LEY DE 26 DE NOVIEMBRE DE 1924 / 10 QUETZALES

Reverse: Inscribed scroll on swords and rifles in saltire, on which a Quetzal bird is perched. All within wreath, date (1926) below.
Legend: REPUBLICA DE GUATEMALA / 1926

Quetzals are strikingly colored birds in the trogon family.

They are found in forests and woodlands, especially in humid highlands, with the five species from the genus Pharomachrus being exclusively Neotropical, while the single Euptilotis species is almost entirely restricted to Baja Verapaz, Guatemala. They are fairly large (all over 32 cm or 13 inches long), slightly bigger than other trogon species.

Quetzals have iridescent green or golden-green wing coverts, back, chest and head, with a red belly. They are strongly sexually dimorphic, and parts of the females' plumage are brown or grey. These largely solitary birds feed on fruits, berries, insects and small vertebrates (such as frogs). Even with their famous bright plumage, they can be hard to see in their natural wooded habitats.