Does the Mexican Peso Contain Gold; Part Two

Gold Bullion Pesos, including the Centenario (50 Pesos Gold Coin)

The gold bullion pesos are all .900 in fineness.  They are alloys made of 90% gold and 10% copper (21.6 karat).

First minted in 1921, the 50 Pesos gold coin honors the Centennial of the successful end of Mexico’s War of Independence.  It is also known as the Centenario.  It has a weight of 1.3396 troy ounces (41.6666 g), and the pure gold content is 1.2057 troy ounces (37.5 g). 

On one side of the coin is the image of Winged Victory (the Angel of Independence), with the Popocatepetl and Iztaccihautl volcanoes rising the background.  On the lower left is 1821 (Mexico’s year of independence), and the date on the right indicates the year it was minted.  On the other side, you will find the Mexican coat of arms, with the eagle facing forward.

Mexican 5 peso gold coin, front and back.

The 5 Pesos (wt: 0.1339 troy oz, 4.1666 g; gold: 0.1205 troy oz) and 10 Pesos (wt: 0.2679 troy oz, 8.3333 g; gold: 0.2411 troy oz) gold coins feature Miguel Hidalgo on one side, and the coat of arms with the eagle facing forward on the other side.

The 20 Pesos (wt: 0.5358 troy oz, 16.6666 g; gold: 0.4823 troy oz) gold coin has the Aztec calendar (aka the Sun Stone) on one side, and the coat of arms with the eagle facing sideways on the other side.

Mexican Libertad (aka Onza)

While the denominations of the Libertad aren’t legal tender, they are extremely beautiful.  

On one side of the coin is the coat of arms of the United States of Mexico (Estados Unidos Mexicanos).   On the other side is the image of Winged Victory (the Angel of Independence), with the Popocatepetl and Iztaccihautl volcanoes rising the background. 

There are gold Onzas and gold Libertads.  They are both bullion coins, carry no face value, and look very similar to each other.  In fact, in Standard Catalog of World Gold Coins (the ultimate gold coin reference book), they are both referred to as Onzas (which means ounce).  The main difference between them is this.  The Onzas were minted in the 1980s, are 0.900 gold, and weigh 34.5g.  The Libertads were minted 1991 onward, are 0.999 gold, and weigh 31.1g.

The popular Libertad gold bullion coin comes in the following denominations:  1 ounce, 1/2 ounce, 1/4 ounce, 1/10 ounce, and 1/20 ounce.

Be sure to read Does the Mexican Peso Contain Gold; Part One

5 Comments on Does the Mexican Peso Contain Gold; Part Two

Does the Mexican Peso Contain Gold; Part One | Gemologist Sam


[...] In Part Two you will learn about the Gold Bullion Pesos and the Libertad [...]

Chinese Panda, British Britannia, and the Austrian Corona Gold Coins: An Introduction | Gemologist Sam


[...] To continue our discussion of gold coins, I am going to introduce you to the Chinese Panda, the British Britannia, and the Austrian Corona gold coins.  See also:  Krugerrand, American Gold Eagle, Canadian Maple Leaf, and the Australian Gold Nugget: An Introduction, and Does the Mexican Peso Contain Gold; Part One, and Does the Mexican Peso Contain Gold; Part Two. [...]

alberto


buenos dias queria saber sobre una moneda de oro que tengo mide 1 cm msomenos y tien la cara d emiguel hidalgo y por el otro lado tiene el calendario azteca queciera saber si me podrias dar informacion muchas gracias

John Vance


I am looking for a Peso circled with diamonds and in a necklace. Do you have sjuch ?

Geoff Murphy


How much do you pay for $50.00 Mexican Gold Peso’s.
In your article one goold peso has 1.2057 pure gold.

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