Depicts José Figueres Ferrer breaking a battlement of the Bellavista Barracks with a sledgehammer, dates below, surrounded by the inscriptions "75th Anniversary of the Abolition of the Costa Rican Army" and "The world knows us and respects us for the decision to raise notebooks and violins".

José Figueres Ferrer (1906–1990) was a key Costa Rican leader who played a pivotal role in the country’s history, most notably by abolishing the military in 1948 after leading the National Liberation Army during the Costa Rican Civil War. As president, he implemented significant social reforms, including land redistribution, social security, and improvements in education. His decision to permanently dissolve the army, enshrined in the 1949 Constitution, set Costa Rica on a path of peace, stability, and development, earning the country international respect for its commitment to diplomacy and human rights. Figueres' leadership helped shape Costa Rica into a model of democracy and nonviolence.

José Figueres Ferrer is famously associated with the act of breaking the battlements of the Bellavista Barracks with a sledgehammer. This symbolic act took place in 1949, after the Costa Rican Civil War. The Bellavista Barracks, located in San José, were the headquarters of the military, and Figueres personally struck the building, symbolizing the end of the army's power and the beginning of Costa Rica's new era as a military-free nation. This gesture was a powerful statement of his commitment to abolishing the military and promoting a peaceful, democratic future for the country.

Depicts the denomination, the issuing country, and the inscription "Central Bank of Costa Rica" above, the latent image (500 / BCCR) below.