I recently started adding Mexican coins to my collection. Mexico is known for good silver coins, and they've been striking coins for 250 years longer than the US. Mexican coins were an essential part of US commercial life in colonial times and the first 6 or 7 years of the US as an independent country as the US mint took a while to get going and US coinage production tended to be spotty (borderline anemic) for the first 30+ years of the US mint. My oldest is genuine shipwreck treasure, straight from the 1641 treasure fleet, off of the Concepción. It was recovered in 1986 and resides in a NGC shipwreck certification holder Here's my first milled coin. It is a crusty pillar dollar, but straight graded as VF-35 These are very popular amongst world collectors and I can see why. Large silver coins and very interesting design. My next one is a portrait 8R of Carlos III, graded XF-45 in an old green holder. I find the portraits in these really cool. My next one is an 8R struck towards the end of the series, in 1885. The liberty cap 8R have become very popular in recent years amongst collectors and I can see why. This one is PCGS MS-63. Now to the 20th century, and the first one is this WWII era Peso. It is 72% silver and very lustrous. A real eye catching design. I love the eagle on the reverse of these. Resides in a PCGS MS-66 holder. And last, I picked up a circulating commemorative struck in 1959 to celebrate the centennial of the birth of President Carranza. It is a very cool design, and this 5 Pesos is also a large and beefy coin. Very lovely. One million were struck and released into circulation. It is in a PCGS MS-65 holder. That's it for now. Feel free to share your Mexican coinage.
I want to correct one thing. I put in my opening post that Mexican coins were an essential part of the US economy for the first 6-7 years of the country's existence. I meant 6-7 decades. Basically until around 1850 it was not uncommon to see Mexican 8 Reales in circulation in the US. It was late and my brain wasn't working, so somehow decades became years.
This is one of my favorites of foreign coins collection. And my favorite Mexico Mint metal detected find..
The small denominations did the work of commerce. Found this CRH (coin roll hunting) US dimes in Syracuse NY a few years ago 1/2 Reale Mexico mint 1.4 grams as found
Libertads are nice. Personally I like the original design for them vs. the new design because I've always been a fan of traditional styles, but I have to admit even the new ones are some of the nicest designed bullion coins out there. I would take even a newer style Libertad over a Krugerrand or a Philharmonic any day. Even probably over a Britannia...the reverses of the Britania are amazing, but not as big a fan of the royal portraits.
I don't think this coin needs much of a description because it is perhaps one of the most iconic Mexican coins of all time, if not the most iconic one. These caballitos in mint state I'm not the easiest coins to come by. Most of the surviving examples have condition issues for whatever reason. But I did manage to find this one in MS-63. I'm pretty happy with that.
