20 Pesos Gold 1870: Value & How to Sell

If you inherited an 1870 Mexican 20 Pesos gold coin, here is the fast answer: it is worth real money. This is a heavy gold piece, 33.73 grams at .875 fineness, which means it holds close to an ounce of actual gold. Even a worn, common example is worth well over 1,700 USD just for its metal in 2026, and top-grade certified examples sell for several times that.

This is one of the few Mexican coins where "is it worth anything?" has an easy yes. The floor is set by gold itself. The ceiling depends on how rare your specific piece is and what condition it is in.

What you actually have

The 20 Pesos of 1870 belongs to Mexico's decimal system, introduced after the 1857 monetary reform that dropped the old real system. It was struck at the Mexico City Mint (Casa de Moneda de México) during the Restored Republic under Benito Juárez, after the fall of the Second Empire.

The specs matter for both value and authentication:

• Metal: gold, .875 fine (21 karat)
• Weight: 33.73 grams
• Diameter: 30 mm
• Edge: reeded
• Mint: Mexico City

At .875 fine, a 33.73 gram coin contains roughly 29.5 grams of pure gold, just under a full troy ounce. That gold content is the single biggest driver of value here, more than history or story.

How much is the 1870 20 Pesos worth?

Think of value in two layers.

Melt value (the floor). Because it is nearly an ounce of gold, this coin can never be worth less than its metal. Any gold buyer or numismatic dealer will pay at least melt for a genuine piece. In 2026 that floor sits above 1,700 USD and moves with the gold spot price.

Numismatic value (the premium). The 1870-dated 20 Pesos from Mexico City is a scarce early decimal issue. Genuine, well-preserved examples trade at a premium over melt because collectors of 19th-century Mexican gold want them, and few survive in high grade. Circulated but honest examples typically bring a modest premium over gold. Certified Mint State examples can sell for a strong multiple of melt.

Coin	Year	Condition	Approx. value (USD)
20 Pesos gold	1870	Melt floor	1,700+ (tracks gold spot)
20 Pesos gold	1870	Circulated (Fine to XF)	Melt plus a modest premium
20 Pesos gold	1870	Uncirculated / certified MS	Several times melt, depending on grade and rarity

We avoid quoting a single fake "exact price" because early Mexican gold varies enormously by grade, and the gold spot price itself moves daily. For a firm number, get your coin graded (more below).

How to tell if yours is genuine

Gold this heavy is a target for counterfeits, most of them coming out of China in lower-purity alloys. The good news: the specs give them away.

1. Weigh it. A genuine coin weighs 33.73 grams. A jeweler's scale settles most fakes instantly. Underweight or overweight means walk away.
2. Measure it. 30 mm diameter, reeded edge. Check the edge reeding is clean and even.
3. Check the color and wear. .875 gold has a specific warm tone. Plated fakes show base metal at the high points.
4. Get it certified. For a coin worth over 1,700 USD, professional grading by NGC or PCGS is the definitive insurance. A slabbed coin is easier to sell and removes all doubt for a buyer.

If you are buying rather than selling, never pay a gold premium on photos alone. Ask the seller for a photo of the edge and a photo of the coin on a scale showing the weight.

Where to sell it

You have real options for a coin this liquid:

• A verified coin dealer from the Pesoteca shop directory. A formal numismatic house will appraise it on the spot and pay fair value, often better than a generic gold buyer who only pays melt.
• The Pesoteca buy-and-sell forum, where collectors of Mexican gold gather and may pay a numismatic premium a bullion buyer will not.
• Certified grading first. If you suspect a high grade, spend the money to slab it before selling. The grade often pays for itself.

Avoid dumping a gold coin to the first offer on social media. Photograph the front, back, and edge, confirm the weight, and check the value range on this page before you agree to anything.

Mint errors and varieties

Since 1870 is the only year for this exact issue, there are no date varieties within it, but die varieties (minor errors, letter positioning, doubling) do exist and are distinguished only by NGC or PCGS experts. Be careful: most "errors" circulating online are post-mint damage (dings, corrosion), not factory errors. If you think you have a genuine mint error, post clear photos to the Pesoteca forum so the community can weigh in.

Have an 1870 20 Pesos or another piece of old Mexican gold sitting in a drawer? Post the weight and clear photos of both sides in the Pesoteca forum and let collectors tell you what it is really worth.

Numismatic type: Balance scale.

Edge: Reeded.