100 Pesos Guerrero (2005): The Silver-Center Coin Everyone Overlooks

If you inherited a large two-tone Mexican coin marked 100 Pesos with a state name on the back, you likely have one of the state series coins. The good news: the center ring is real silver, so it has a floor above face value. The realistic range in 2026 runs from about 25 to 60 USD for the common Guerrero piece, higher if it's still sealed in the original mint packaging.

What you actually have

This is the 100 Pesos Guerrero, struck in 2005 as part of Mexico's series marking the 180th Anniversary of the Union of the States in a Federation (in Spanish, Unión de los Estados). It was issued in two stages; Guerrero belongs to the second, cultural stage. Each coin in the series honors a different Mexican state on the reverse.

The coin is bimetallic (two metals): a silver center surrounded by a base-metal outer ring, which is why it feels heavier than an ordinary coin. Here are the exact specs, which also matter for spotting fakes:

Feature	Detail
Denomination	100 Pesos
Year	2005
Series	Union of the States, Guerrero (cultural stage)
Weight	33.94 grams
Diameter	39 mm
Composition	Bimetallic, silver center ring
Edge	Discontinuous reeded
Finish	Satin

Obverse (front): the Mexican national coat of arms, an eagle devouring a serpent on a nopal cactus. This face is shared across the whole 100 Pesos state series.

Reverse (back): a cultural motif representing Guerrero, which can be architecture, wildlife, an archaeological site, a traditional dance, or regional dress. If you want to catalog yours precisely, compare the design against the official Banco de México reference before assigning a variety.

What it's worth in USD

Unlike most old Mexican coins, this one has a real reason to be worth more than its face value: the silver in the center. That gives it a bullion floor. Beyond that floor, condition and packaging drive the price.

• Circulated, loose: roughly 20 to 30 USD, mostly tracking the silver content.
• Uncirculated, no packaging: about 30 to 45 USD.
• Original Banxico blister pack, sealed: 45 to 70 USD and up, since collectors pay a premium for intact mint packaging.

These are the common Guerrero figures. Some states in the series command more depending on how many survived in top grades, so grade and the specific state both matter.

The myth to ignore

Social media posts claiming these coins are worth thousands of dollars are wrong for the standard pieces. The series was produced for collectors and the silver content is modest, so the value is steady but not spectacular. The main exceptions are genuine, verifiable mint errors (off-center strikes, die rotation, double strikes) or a coin certified in an exceptionally high grade. Most "errors" circulating online are post-mint damage (dings, corrosion, cleaning), not factory errors, and damage lowers value.

How to check what yours is worth

1. Weigh and measure it. Use a jewelry scale and a caliper. A genuine coin weighs 33.94 grams and measures 39 mm. Wrong weight or diameter, flat relief, or metals in the wrong places point to a fake.
2. Grade the condition. Look for wear, scratches, and how sharp the details are. Our coin grading guide walks through the standards.
3. Keep the packaging. If it's still in the sealed Banxico blister, do not open it. That packaging adds real value.
4. Get a second opinion. Post clear photos of the front, back, and edge on the Pesoteca forum and let collectors weigh in before you sell.

Where to sell it

The safest route is a verified numismatic shop from the Pesoteca dealer directory, which can appraise it on the spot, or the Pesoteca buy-and-sell forum where collectors trade directly. Photograph the piece from all sides and check the price ranges above before you sell. Avoid dumping it to the first bidder on social media.

Got a Guerrero coin, or a different state from the series? Post your photos on the Pesoteca forum and we'll help you pin down the exact variety and a fair price.

The entry dedicated to Guerrero 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 tiger-jaguar mask from the tecuanes dance, a rain ritual of the Nahua peoples of the south-central part of the state. The tiger or tecuan dance is performed in Zitlala, Chilapa, and Acatlan during the festivities of May 2-5 to ask for rain. The dancers face off with whips while wearing tanned leather masks painted with jaguar spots, in a ritual documented by Guillermo Bonfil as a Mesoamerican survival of the cult of Tepeyollotl, heart of the mountain.

State context: Guerrero was established as a state on October 27, 1849, named in honor of Vicente Guerrero, the second president of the Republic. Jose Maria Morelos proclaimed the Sentiments of the Nation in Chilpancingo on September 14, 1813, the ideological foundation of the first Mexican Constitution.

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 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 be around 250,000 pieces per state in the Cultural phase. Always confirm against the catalog of the full 100 pesos States series before closing a large purchase.

The Guerrero 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 Guerrero.