1964 Mexico 20 Centavos (Copper, Pyramid of the Sun)

Most 1964 Mexican 20 centavos coins are worth just a few cents. Nearly 28.6 million were struck, and 1964 is one of the most common dates in the whole series, so a worn example carries little more than sentimental value. The upside comes only from condition: a fully uncirculated coin with original red copper color sells in the 1 to 2 USD range, and top certified pieces bring more. Here is exactly what yours is worth and how to check.

If you inherited a box of old Mexican coins, this large copper piece with a pyramid on the back is one you will see often. It is not rare. Its value lives or dies on how well it survived.

What this coin actually is

The 1964 20 centavos is a bronze coin struck at the Casa de Moneda de México (the Mexican Mint). "20 centavos" means 20 cents of a peso, the smaller denomination below the peso itself. Physically it is big for its face value: 10 grams, 28.5 mm across, with a plain (smooth) edge.

The reverse (back) shows the Pirámide del Sol (Pyramid of the Sun) at Teotihuacan, the ancient site outside Mexico City, with the word TEOTIHUACAN across the base. Behind it are the two volcanoes Iztaccíhuatl and Popocatépetl. Above, a radiant Phrygian cap (a liberty cap) splits the number 20. The word CENTAVOS, the date, and cactus plants fill out the design.

The front (obverse) carries the national coat of arms, the eagle on a cactus devouring a serpent, with the legend ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS ("United Mexican States," the country's official name).

Is it silver? No.

This is one of the first things US readers ask, so let us kill it fast: there is no precious metal here. The coin is bronze, 95% copper and 5% zinc. It has no melt value worth chasing and no silver or gold content. Whatever it is worth is purely numismatic, meaning it depends on rarity and condition, not metal.

What it is worth in 2026

Here is the honest picture. The 1964 date is common, so grade is everything.

Catalogs place a nice uncirculated red example around 1 to 2 USD, and certified high grades (MS-65 or better with original red color) can bring more at auction. The key term is "red": copper coins are graded RD (red), RB (red-brown), or BN (brown). Red is the fresh, unhandled color and the only one that pushes the price up.

Bottom line: if yours is worn from pocket use, it is a common coin. If it is bright, spot-free, and looks like it was never spent, it is worth setting aside.

The rare dates are NOT 1964

The Pyramid of the Sun bronze series ran from 1943 to 1974. If you are hunting for the valuable dates, look for 1951, 1952, and 1959, the scarce years collectors actually pay for. The 1964 is among the most plentiful. So if a listing calls a common 1964 "rare" or "worth a fortune," that is marketing, not fact.

How to check what yours is worth

1. Confirm the specs. It should weigh 10 grams, measure 28.5 mm, and have a smooth edge. The reverse must show the Pyramid of the Sun with TEOTIHUACAN and the two volcanoes. If those match, it is genuine. This coin is so common that counterfeiting it makes no economic sense, so fakes are essentially nonexistent.
2. Judge the color and wear. Look at the pyramid steps and the eagle's feathers under good light. Sharp, full detail with red or red-brown luster means a better grade. Flat, smooth, brown surfaces mean a circulated coin.
3. Decide if grading is worth it. For a coin worth a few dollars at best, paying for professional NGC or PCGS certification usually costs more than the coin returns. Only a clearly gem-quality, full-red example justifies it.

Where to sell it

Because the date is common, a circulated 1964 sells cheaply and moves best as part of a group lot rather than one at a time. A genuinely uncirculated red example is the one worth listing on its own. You can use the Pesoteca shop directory to find coin dealers and buyers, and it helps to know the rest of the 20 centavos series and how copper and bronze Mexican coins are graded before you price yours.

Have a whole tin of these inherited coins and not sure which ones matter? Post clear photos of the fronts and backs in the Pesoteca forum and we will help you spot the keepers from the common ones.

The centavo coins that circulated in Mexico during the second half of the 20th century were struck in alloys that changed with the cost of metals: copper, bronze, and brass in low denominations (1¢, 5¢, 20¢); cupronickel for intermediate denominations (25¢, 50¢, late 10¢); and .720 silver for some 25¢ and 50¢ pieces in the 1950s. Each change of alloy created a distinct variant of the same face value. 1964 corresponds to the period when this variant was in circulation, before the transition to New Pesos in 1992. The Mexican Mint kept the basic design of the National Coat of Arms on the obverse and the numeric value on the reverse throughout this era.