100 Pesos Hidalgo 2005: Silver Content & Value

If you inherited or found a 2005 Mexican 100 pesos Hidalgo coin, here is the honest answer: it is worth roughly 40 to 60 USD, and most of that value comes from the silver in its center, not from rarity. This is a bimetallic commemorative, not a rare treasure, but it is real silver and it has a floor value.

What you actually have

This is the 2005 100 pesos Hidalgo, part of the first stage (heraldic) of the Mexican States series that Banco de México (Banxico) issued to mark 180 years since the states joined the federation. Each state got its own coin, in two stages.

It is a bimetallic coin, meaning two different metals:

• Center: .925 sterling silver, weighing about 20 grams (roughly 18.6 grams of pure silver, close to 0.6 troy ounces).
• Outer ring: aluminum bronze. This is the gold-colored rim. It is not gold, and it never was.

Full specs: 33.94 g total weight, 39 mm diameter, discontinuous reeded edge. Catalog reference KM 717.

Common mistake: this is NOT the Pachuca Clock coin

A lot of people confuse the two Hidalgo coins. The famous Reloj Monumental de Pachuca (the Pachuca monumental clock) appears on the second stage coin, dated 2006, which has different measurements. The 2005 coin you likely have is the heraldic version: the reverse shows the coat of arms of the State of Hidalgo inside the silver center, with the legend ESTADO DE HIDALGO, the year 2005, the Mo mint mark, and the 100 pesos denomination. The front (obverse) carries the Mexican national coat of arms shared across the whole series.

If your coin shows a clock tower, you have the 2006 issue, which is a different piece.

How much is it worth in USD?

The value has two layers, and for this coin they land in about the same place.

Silver (melt) value: the silver center gives it a floor. At current silver prices, that content is worth roughly 40 to 55 USD. This is the number to anchor on. No matter how worn the coin is, the silver keeps it from being worthless.

Collector value: as an uncirculated piece, it typically sells in the same neighborhood, roughly 30 to 65 USD depending on grade and where you sell. It is a modern commemorative with a healthy mintage, so there is no big premium over metal.

Coin	Year	Metal	Typical value (USD)	Basis
100 Pesos Hidalgo (heraldic)	2005	.925 silver center + aluminum bronze ring	40 to 65	Silver content + collector demand
100 Pesos Hidalgo (Pachuca Clock)	2006	.925 silver center + aluminum bronze ring	40 to 65	Different coin, similar range

Is it rare?

No. The registered mintage is 249,820 pieces (KM 717, per Numista). That is not scarce. It circulated far less than everyday coins because it is a bimetallic silver commemorative, and many were tucked away by collectors, so you will still find plenty for sale. Do not expect a rare-coin premium on this one.

How to tell if yours is genuine

Run through these checks:

1. It must be bimetallic: lighter silver center, gold-colored (aluminum bronze) ring.
2. Weight: 33.94 g. Use a small scale.
3. Diameter: 39 mm.
4. Edge: discontinuous reeding, not smooth. A smooth edge points to a different (gold or silver proof) version.
5. Reverse detail: the Hidalgo coat of arms, the legend ESTADO DE HIDALGO, the year 2005, and the Mo mint mark.
6. Magnet test: real silver is not magnetic. If the center sticks to a magnet, something is wrong.

Where to sell it

The 2005 Hidalgo shows up regularly on marketplaces and with dealers who handle the States series. Before you sell, always compare the offer against the current silver value so you do not sell below melt. To find a buyer or dealer near you, check the Pesoteca shop directory.

Have the coin in front of you and not sure whether it is the 2005 or the 2006 version, or curious what your specific grade is worth? Post a clear photo of both sides in the Pesoteca forum and let the community weigh in.

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

The reverse of the piece shows the Atlantes of Tula, four anthropomorphic columns carved in basalt that supported the roof of Temple B in ancient Tollan-Xicocotitlan. The Atlantes represent Toltec warriors armed with an átlatl spear-thrower, a butterfly pectoral and a feathered headdress. They stand 4.6 meters tall and date from Tula's apogee between 900 and 1150 A.D. The Toltecs were mythologized by the later Mexica as civilizing masters, and the site has been an INAH Archaeological Zone since 1938.

State context: Hidalgo was established as a state on January 15, 1869, named in honor of Miguel Hidalgo, Father of the Nation. Its capital Pachuca de Soto and Real del Monte were key mining centers of the viceroyalty, with a Cornish technical presence from 1824 that introduced the mining pasty.

In the Mexican numismatic market the Cultural phase circulated less than the Coat of Arms 2003 and today tends to be 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 hover 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 Hidalgo 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 Hidalgo.