100 Pesos Chihuahua (2005): Silver Center Coin Value

If you inherited a large, heavy 100 Pesos coin from Chihuahua dated 2005, here is the honest answer: its value comes mostly from the silver core inside it, not from rarity. In 2026, most examples trade for roughly 25 to 45 US dollars, with sealed mint-packaged coins in top grade going higher.

This is one of the coins in Mexico's 180th Anniversary of the Union of the States series, a program that issued a 100 Pesos coin for each Mexican state. The Chihuahua piece belongs to the second (cultural) stage of that series.

What you actually have

This is a bimetallic coin: an outer ring of one metal and a center disc of another. On this series the center disc contains .925 sterling silver, which is why the coin has a real floor value tied to its metal content. The outer ring is aluminum-bronze.

Spec	Detail
Face value	100 Pesos
Year	2005
Weight	33.94 grams
Diameter	39 mm
Composition	Bimetallic (sterling silver center, aluminum-bronze ring)
Edge	Discontinuous reeded
Series	Union of the States, cultural stage (Chihuahua)

The front (obverse) shows the Mexican coat of arms, an eagle devouring a serpent on a cactus, shared across the whole 100 Pesos States series. The back (reverse) shows a cultural motif representing Chihuahua. Check the exact design against the Banco de México catalog before you catalog your coin, since the series has many similar-looking state reverses.

What it's worth in USD

Most of the value here is silver. The silver content gives the coin a bullion floor that moves with the market, and collector premium is modest because these were issued in fairly large numbers.

Condition	Typical value (USD)
Circulated / handled	25 to 32 dollars
Uncirculated, loose	32 to 42 dollars
Uncirculated in original Banxico blister/case	45 to 65 dollars

These are ranges, not fixed prices. Silver spot moves, and a coin with its original sealed mint packaging always sells for more than a loose one. If someone tells you a common 2005 Chihuahua 100 Pesos is worth hundreds of dollars, be skeptical: that is not what these bring at auction or dealer counters.

The myth: "it says 100 Pesos, so it's worth 100 dollars"

No. The 100 face value is in Mexican pesos, which is a currency denomination, not a dollar figure. What matters is the silver inside and the collector demand, and both point to the range above. The coin is worth more than its face value only because of the silver, not the number stamped on it.

Are there valuable errors?

Genuine mint errors (off-center strikes, die rotation, double strikes) can raise the value significantly. But most "errors" people spot on these coins are post-mint damage: dings, scratches, corrosion, or discoloration from handling. That is not a mint error and it lowers value, not raises it. If you think you have a real error, post clear photos in the Pesoteca forum and let the community weigh in.

How to tell if yours is genuine

1. Weigh it. A genuine coin is 33.94 grams. Use a jewelry scale.
2. Measure it. Diameter should be 39 mm. Use calipers.
3. Check the strike. Real coins have crisp relief and clean color separation between the silver center and the bronze ring. Fakes often show flat detail or muddy, uneven color.
4. Look at the edge. It should have discontinuous reeding.

Coins that are off on weight or diameter, or that show a flat, mushy strike, are the ones to worry about.

Where to sell it

For the fairest price, take it to a verified numismatic dealer from the Pesoteca directory, where you can get an on-the-spot appraisal, or list it in the buy-and-sell forum among collectors. Photograph the obverse, reverse, and edge, and compare your grade against the ranges above before you accept an offer. Don't dump it to the first buyer on social media.

To pin down your grade, use the Mexican coin grading guide. Grade is the single biggest factor separating a 30-dollar coin from a 60-dollar coin here.

Got the full state series, or just the Chihuahua piece? Share photos in the Pesoteca forum and we'll help you figure out what the set is really worth.

The entry dedicated to Chihuahua belongs to the first wave of the Cultural phase, issued in 2005 along with most of the set. Banxico called this second stage Emblematic Motifs and replaced the state coat of arms with a specific cultural symbol.

The reverse of the piece shows the Rarámuri dancer with mask and rattle during the Holy Week festival in the Sierra Tarahumara. The Rarámuri, or Tarahumara, have inhabited the Sierra Madre Occidental of Chihuahua since before the Spanish arrival and are known for their rituals of physical endurance, their rarajipari ball races of more than 100 kilometers and their worldview syncretized with colonial Catholicism. The matachines and pharisee dances are documented by INAH in the Copper Canyon corridor.

State context: Chihuahua is the country's largest state at 247,455 square kilometers. Its namesake capital was founded as Real de Minas de San Francisco de Cuéllar in 1709. The colonial CH mint operated from 1811 to 1895.

In the Mexican numismatic market the Cultural phase circulated less than the Coat of Arms 2003 and today is usually found in higher grades because it reached the streets later. Banxico's official mintages for this piece are not always published in the Economic Information System, but the figure reported for circulation tends to be around 250,000 pieces per state in the Cultural phase. Always confirm against the catalog of the complete 100 pesos States series before closing a large purchase.

The Chihuahua Coat of Arms 2003 sister is part of the first phase of the series, with the state's official coat of arms on the reverse. Hunting down both pieces completes the set dedicated to Chihuahua.