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  • Axios Miami

    Miami's favorite collectable is Celia Cruz's quarter

    By Martin Vassolo,

    5 hours ago

    Miami's latest status symbol isn't a Birkin bag or a BMW. It's pocket change .

    Why it matters: The newly released U.S. quarters honoring legendary Cuban-American singer Celia Cruz have become a collector's item in Miami's Hispanic community.


    • Cruz, one of the most famous Hispanic artists ever, has five Grammy awards and a star on the Calle Ocho walk of fame.

    ZZoom in: Santayana, a family-run jewelry store in Tamiami, is creating silver pendant necklaces out of quarters it ordered directly from the U.S. Mint, as the Miami Herald first reported .

    • Elena Santayana, the store's creative and content officer, tells Axios she bought 100 quarters as soon as they were released because she was worried they would sell out.
    • "It felt like an emergency that they were gonna run out, because as Cubans — in this town anyway — we love anything that has to do with our culture, and we absolutely love Celia Cruz, I thought we'd never see them again."

    Santayana bought 100 quarters as quickly as she could, then posted them on the store's Instagram.

    • Within a day, she had customers asking her to make them a pendant. Currently there's a list of 30 pre-orders and Santayana is aiming to begin selling them this week.
    • Her sister Miriam designed the pendant with a sterling-silver gallery, or frame, to hold the coin. They will sell for about $250.

    At Latin Cafe 2000, owner Eric Castellanos bought 1,000 quarters to give out to his customers.

    • For customers who spend $50 in cash, they will get a Celia Cruz quarter with their change, the Herald reported.

    If you want to buy the quarters yourself, a a bag of 100 costs about $50 with shipping included.

    Bottom line: Santayana said it's special for Hispanic people — and Afro-Latinos especially — to see a member of their community be honored in this way.

    • She doubts the quarters will go into general circulation in Miami. Anyone who finds one will surely keep it.
    • "It's really exciting, you don't think that a community as small as the Cuban community would get on a quarter."
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