1873 Mexican 20 Pesos Gold Coin: Value & How to Sell

If you inherited an 1873 Mexican 20 pesos gold coin, here is the fast answer: it contains 33.72 grams of gold at 0.875 fineness (about 0.949 troy ounces of pure gold), so it has never been worth less than its melt value. In 2026, that gold floor alone puts it well into the low thousands of dollars, and a well-preserved or certified example can bring more.

This is a real gold coin, not a token or a commemorative you can dismiss. The question is not whether it is worth money. It is. The question is how much above the gold value your specific coin should bring.

What this coin actually is

The 20 pesos of 1873 belongs to Mexico's Decimal System, adopted after the 1857 monetary reform that replaced the old reales with a decimal peso. It was struck at the Mexico City Mint (Casa de Moneda de México) during the Restored Republic that followed Benito Juárez.

Here are the hard specs. Keep these in front of you when you check your coin:

Feature	Detail
Denomination	20 pesos
Year	1873 (single-year type)
Metal	Gold, 0.875 fine (21 karat)
Weight	33.72 grams
Pure gold content	about 0.949 troy oz
Diameter	35 mm
Edge	Reeded
Mint	Mexico City

How much is it worth?

Value breaks into two layers, and you need to know which one applies to your coin.

The floor: melt value. Because it holds close to one troy ounce of pure gold, this coin can never sell below the current gold spot price for its metal. That alone is a substantial figure. Any dealer will pay at least that, and it means you will always find a buyer.

The premium: numismatic value. Above the gold floor, the coin can bring more depending on grade (how worn it is), eye appeal, and demand from collectors of 19th-century Mexican gold. A circulated, scratched example trades near melt. A sharp, high-grade coin certified by NGC or PCGS can carry a real premium over its gold content.

Because the exact mintage for this issue is not officially documented and the market for early Mexican gold moves with both collector demand and the gold price, we give an honest range rather than a fake exact price: from roughly melt value for a worn coin to a meaningful premium above melt for a certified high-grade piece. Get the coin graded before you assume the top of that range.

The myth to ignore

A lot of listings will tell you any old Mexican gold coin is a rare treasure worth a fortune. Most of the value here is the gold, plain and simple. This is a genuinely old and desirable coin, but do not let a seller (or your own hope) inflate a common-grade example into a five-figure rarity. The gold content sets the floor; grade and certification decide whether you clear a premium.

How to check what yours is worth

1. Weigh it. A genuine coin weighs 33.72 grams and measures 35 mm. Counterfeit gold coins, often lower-fineness fakes, almost always miss the correct weight. The scale is your first and best filter.
2. Check the edge. It should be reeded (fine vertical grooves). A smooth or crudely cut edge is a warning sign.
3. Grade it honestly. Wear on the high points, scratches, and cleaning all lower value. If you think you have a strong example, that is exactly the coin to send to NGC or PCGS for certification. Certified coins sell for more because the buyer trusts the grade.
4. Watch for genuine mint errors. True striking errors (off-center strikes, die rotation, doubling) can add value if they are verifiable. Most "errors" people spot are post-mint damage: dents, corrosion, scratches. Damage lowers value, it does not raise it.

Where to sell it

Since this is a precious-metal coin, deal only with someone who will inspect the coin and confirm the weight in front of you.

• A verified numismatic shop from the Pesoteca dealer directory will appraise it on the spot and pay at least melt.
• The Pesoteca buy-and-sell forum connects you with collectors, who often pay more than a dealer for the right coin.
• For a high-value coin, get it certified first. The grading fee is cheap insurance against selling a premium coin at melt price.

Avoid dumping it on the first offer in a Facebook group, and be extra cautious on open marketplaces, where counterfeits circulate most. Always photograph the front, back, and edge, and confirm the weight before any money changes hands.

Related on Pesoteca

Compare it with other 20 pesos coins, see what else was struck in 1873, or read about the Restored Republic and Porfiriato era that produced it.

Got one in a drawer and not sure what grade it is? Post clear photos of the front, back, and edge in the Pesoteca forum and let collectors help you pin down its value.

Numismatic type: Balance scale.

Edge: Reeded.