Visit us: Plaza Herrera, 9th Street West, Panama City, Panama Province, Panama
Visit us: Plaza Herrera, 9th Street West, Panama City, Panama Province, Panama
Beneath your feet, a story unfolds, woven from copper dreams and the strength of dedicated hands. Not merely tiles or stone, but meticulously aligned coins, forming a floor composed of heart and time.
An Obsession Worth Every Penny
All great things have a story behind them. At the boutique Hotel Herrera Casco Viejo, even the floors have stories to tell: stories of patience, vision, and a lot of pennies.
It all began as we searched for the perfect flooring. Among countless options, we stumbled upon images of penny floors: intricate mosaics crafted from real coins. I had never seen anything like it. Its uniqueness and visual texture screamed perfect for Hotel Herrera. I devised a method to lay them efficiently, and with a certain naivety, I believed the difficult part was over. I had no idea what awaited me.
The Great Penny Harvest
In Panama, both US and Panamanian cents circulate, but only US cents proved suitable. It turns out they differ slightly in thickness and composition. This marked the beginning of our extensive search for cents.
We began by visiting local Chinese stores, asking the owners to help spread the word. As counting hundreds of thousands of coins was not feasible, we weighed them for exchange. However, even then, we did not have enough. Local banks only stocked new, shiny cents, which lacked the rich variety of color and patina we required. Consequently, we started requesting all visitors, friends, and family members to bring cents from the United States. Children's piggy banks were emptied. Still, it was not enough.
Ultimately, I made two trips to the United States, returning with 30-pound fanny packs laden with coins. The TSA had a field day. “What do you have in your bag?” they would ask. “A penny floor project,” I would reply. They would shake their heads, never quite grasping the madness… or the magic.
Sorting, Cleaning, and More Sorting
Each cent passed through our hands—repeatedly. First, we separated the Panamanian coins from the US ones. Then, we sorted them by color: rich browns, deep blacks, and bright coppers. Older cents oxidized differently due to their higher copper content, so we reserved them for artistic details such as decorative stripes.
Next came the cleaning process. We tumbled the cents in industrial alcohol for 6 to 8 hours; then we rinsed, dried, and re-sorted them. Some were not clean enough, requiring the process to be repeated. Finally, when a batch was ready, we hand-mixed them to achieve color variation and arranged them as if they were tiles. We created patterns with heads facing up and down, wrapped each one in plastic, and stacked them as if they were treasure.
Installation: A Labor of Love
Three years and 350,000 cents later, the moment arrived.
The floors had to be leveled, and the drains were prepared. Each “penny tile” was precisely mapped and interlocked into place. Color groupings and clusters were adjusted by hand—often cent by cent—until the perfect balance was achieved.
Once laid, the surface received a final cleaning with alcohol. From that point onward, no bare hand touched the floor again. We carefully applied the black grout, cleaned constantly, and kept air purifiers running to prevent dust. Then came the epoxy, sealing everything in place with a crystal-clear finish.
A Hidden Treasure
We even added a small adventure for our guests: some upside-down coins are hidden within the floors. Those fortunate enough to find one receive a complimentary dessert. It is remarkable how much time guests spend searching for them—and the joy it brings them.
Was it worth it? Absolutely. Would I do it again? Without hesitation.
