100 Pesos Colima 2003 (Coat of Arms): Value & Silver Content

If you inherited or found a heavy two-tone 100 Pesos Colima coin dated 2003, here is the fast answer: it is worth real money because the center is genuine Sterling silver, not because it is old. In 2026, expect a floor of roughly 10 to 15 USD in silver content, with clean uncirculated examples trading higher among collectors completing the state set.

This is one of 32 sister coins Banxico (Mexico's central bank) issued for the "Unión de los Estados de la República Mexicana" series. Each honors one Mexican state. Colima's reverse shows the state coat of arms: an arm holding a bow and a deer, a nod to the pre-Hispanic people of the region. The obverse is shared across all 32 coins: the Mexican national coat of arms inside the silver center, with the 100 pesos denomination.

Why this coin actually has value

Most Mexican coins people inherit are worth a few dollars at best. This one is different for a concrete reason: the inner disc is Sterling silver, fineness 0.925. That gives the coin a hard floor at melt value regardless of condition.

Here are the numbers that matter, exactly as struck:

• Total weight: 33.78 grams
• Diameter: 39 millimeters
• Construction: bimetallic, Sterling silver center (.925 fineness) with an aluminum-bronze outer ring
• Edge: interrupted reeding, standard for this coin family
• Finish: satin (first stage of the series)

The silver is in the center disc only, not the whole coin, so its melt value comes from that disc's silver weight, not the full 33.78 grams. Even so, that silver content is what separates this piece from ordinary circulating change.

What it's worth in 2026

Condition	What it means	Approx. value (USD)
Circulated	Handled, minor wear	10 to 15 (silver floor)
About uncirculated	Light contact marks	15 to 25
Uncirculated / satin luster intact	As issued, no wear	25 to 45
Certified high grade (NGC/PCGS MS66+)	Slabbed, top condition	premium above the above ranges

These are collector ranges, not a fixed quote. The floor moves with the silver spot price, so the melt value can shift week to week. Condition and eye appeal drive the premium above melt. Colima is one of Mexico's smallest states, and the coin was widely available, so it is common rather than rare. Its value is silver plus modest collector demand, not scarcity.

The set angle (how to get more for it)

Collectors chase the full 32-coin state set, and there is a related Colima piece worth knowing about. In 2005 Banxico issued the Cultural 2005 Colima coin, the second-stage sister with a state-specific design instead of the coat of arms. A buyer completing both Colima coins may pay a small premium for a matched pair in similar condition.

How to tell if yours is genuine

Counterfeits of this coin are uncommon because the silver content makes faking it barely worth the effort, but verify anyway:

1. Weigh it. A jewelry scale should read very close to 33.78 grams. A light coin is a red flag.
2. Measure it. Diameter should be 39 millimeters. Use a caliper.
3. Check the two-tone look. The silver center and bronze ring should be crisply separated, with sharp relief. Flat, mushy detail or bleeding colors point to a fake or heavy damage.
4. Inspect the edge. It should show interrupted reeding.

If the weight and diameter match and the details are sharp, you almost certainly have the real coin.

A word on "error" coins

Genuine mint errors (off-center strikes, die rotation, doubled dies) can multiply the value of a piece. But most "errors" people spot on social media are post-mint damage: dings, scratches, corrosion, not factory mistakes. Real errors are verifiable and specific. If you think you have one, get a second opinion before you get excited.

Where to sell it

To sell the 100 Pesos Colima 2003 without giving away the silver value:

• A verified numismatic shop from the Pesoteca directory can appraise it on the spot. If you're near the state, the Colima shop hub lists vetted dealers with honest reviews.
• The Pesoteca buy-and-sell forum connects you directly with collectors, often at a better price than a dealer's buy rate.

Photograph the obverse, reverse, and edge before you sell, and check the value range above so you know your silver floor. Don't dump it to the first Facebook offer for face value.

Have a 100 Pesos Colima in hand and not sure of the grade? Post clear photos in the Pesoteca forum and let the community weigh in before you sell.

The 100-peso Unión de los Estados de la República Mexicana series began in 2003 with the first stage, called Escudo because the reverse bears the official coat of arms of each of the 32 states. The piece dedicated to Colima forms part of that first block of 32 coins, issued by Banxico under the framework of the Monetary System that has governed the modern peso since the 1993 nuevos pesos reform.

Colima has Colima as its capital. It was established as a free and sovereign state in 1857. The reverse of the piece shows the state's official coat of arms, with no reference to specific historical episodes: the central motif is the heraldic emblem. For mintages and economic circulation data of each piece in the series, the sources are Banxico's official reports; until they are verified in the CM10 catalog they are not reported in this listing.