The Balboa is equated with the dollar, and they don't use paper balboas at all. Interestingly enough balboa coins do work in our laundry machines, parking meters and such. Everything in Panama is done in dollars, I was just there in December, I've never seen a paper Balboa, yet, and my wife is Panamanian, and I don't know if she's ever seen one! That was one of Panama's selling points to tourists, investors, and retirees, they don't need to worry about currency, because everything is done in dollars.