100 Pesos Colima 2005: Value & How to Sell

If you inherited or found a Mexican 100 Pesos Colima coin dated 2005, here is the honest answer: in circulated condition it is worth a modest premium over its silver content, roughly 15 to 30 US dollars. Sealed in its original mint pack and in top grade, examples trade higher, but this is not a rare rarity worth thousands. Its real floor is the silver inside.

What you actually have

This is a large bimetallic coin: a silver center ring inside a base-metal outer ring. It belongs to a commemorative program the Bank of Mexico issued to honor each of the 31 states plus the federal district. This one represents the state of Colima, part of the second (cultural) phase of the series marking the 180th anniversary of the union of the states into a federation.

The specs matter because they set the value and help you spot a fake:

Feature	Detail
Denomination	100 pesos
Year	2005
Weight	33.94 grams
Diameter	39 mm
Composition	Bimetallic (silver center, base-metal ring)
Edge	Discontinuous reeded
Finish	Satin
Series	100 Pesos Estados (state series)

The center ring is .925 sterling silver, which is why this coin holds value even when worn. That silver core is the reason it is not just a face-value novelty.

What it's worth in USD

The price depends on two things: condition (grade) and whether it is still sealed in the original Bank of Mexico blister pack.

Condition	Approximate value (USD)
Circulated, loose	15 to 25
Uncirculated, loose	25 to 40
Sealed in original mint pack	40 to 70

These ranges track the silver content plus a collector premium. The silver in the center gives every genuine example a hard floor at melt value, so even a beat-up coin is worth real money. Do not expect four or five figures from a standard piece. Auction records in the thousands belong to gold Mexican coins and true 19th-century rarities, not this modern commemorative.

For a full walkthrough of grading, see the Mexican coin grading guide. A coin that looks "like new" to you may grade as merely uncirculated to a professional, which changes the price.

The design (so you can confirm it's the right coin)

Front (obverse): the Mexican national coat of arms, an eagle devouring a serpent while perched on a cactus. This same obverse is shared across the entire 100 Pesos state series.

Back (reverse): a cultural motif representing Colima, which may show local architecture, wildlife, flora, an archaeological site, or traditional dress or dance. Check the exact reverse design against the Bank of Mexico catalog before you catalog your piece, since each state in the series has its own reverse. See more coins in the 100 Pesos Estados series.

How to tell if yours is genuine

Counterfeits of this coin exist, but they are usually easy to catch because the specs are precise.

1. Weigh it. A genuine coin weighs 33.94 grams. Use a jewelry scale. A fake is often off by more than a gram.
2. Measure it. Diameter should be 39 mm. Use calipers.
3. Check the edge. It should show a discontinuous reeded pattern, not a smooth or fully reeded edge.
4. Look at the two-tone construction. The silver center and base-metal ring should be crisp and cleanly separated, with sharp relief. Flat, mushy details or muddy color separation point to a cast fake.

If the weight, diameter, and edge all match and the strike is sharp, you almost certainly have the real thing.

Errors and varieties

Genuine mint errors (off-center strikes, die rotation, double strikes) can multiply the value of a coin like this. Be careful, though: most "errors" people post online are post-mint damage, dings, scratches, and corrosion, not factory mistakes. Those lower value rather than raise it. If you think you have a true error, post clear photos in the Pesoteca forum and let the community review it before you get excited.

Where to sell it

To get a fair price, use a verified dealer or a community of collectors rather than dumping it on social media.

• A verified coin shop from the Pesoteca directory will appraise it on the spot, by city, with no middleman markup.
• The Pesoteca buy-and-sell forum lets you deal directly with collectors who know what this series is worth.

Before you sell, photograph the front, back, and edge, and compare your coin's condition against the ranges in the table above. That way you know if an offer is fair.

Have a 100 Pesos Colima with an unusual reverse detail or a strike that looks off? Post your photos in the Pesoteca forum and we'll help you pin down exactly what you have.

The listing dedicated to Colima 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 fattened dog, a hollow ceramic figure characteristic of the shaft tombs of the pre-Hispanic West. Colima's clay dogs were modeled by the Capacha culture between 300 BC and 600 AD. They were placed in shaft tombs as guides of the soul to the underworld according to the Mesoamerican worldview of the West. The xoloitzcuintle is the real model of these pieces, and today it is a heritage breed recognized by the Kennel Club of Mexico.

State context: Colima was established as a state on September 12, 1857. Its namesake capital lies in the shadow of the Volcan de Fuego, one of the most active on the continent. It is one of the smallest entities in the country at 5,627 square km.

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

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