5 Pesos 1973 (Vicente Guerrero, Cupronickel)

If you inherited a big, heavy Mexican coin dated 1973 with a man's profile on it, here is the honest answer: it is worth about 1 to 2 US dollars in circulated condition. The 1973 5 Pesos with Vicente Guerrero was struck by the millions. It has no silver, and the listings you see asking hundreds or thousands almost never sell.

This is one of the most common large Mexican coins of the 1970s. That does not make it worthless, but it does mean you should reset your expectations before you get excited about a big payday.

What this coin actually is

The 5 Pesos 1973 is a cupronickel coin featuring Vicente Guerrero, a leader of Mexico's independence war and the country's second president. His portrait faces right on the reverse. The obverse carries the Mexican coat of arms (the eagle) with the legend ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS.

Specs to check against your coin:

• Metal: cupronickel (75% copper, 25% nickel). No silver, no gold.
• Weight: 13.97 grams.
• Diameter: 33 mm (large for the denomination).
• Edge: reeded, engraved with the phrase INDEPENDENCIA Y LIBERTAD.
• Mint: Casa de Moneda de México (look for the small Mo mint mark near the date).
• Mintage, 1973: 19,405,000 coins.

That mintage number is the whole story. Nearly 19.5 million were made in 1973 alone, so survivors are everywhere.

How much is the 1973 5 Pesos worth?

In circulated condition, expect roughly 1 to 2 US dollars (about 20 to 40 pesos on the Mexican numismatic market). That is a collector courtesy price, not a bullion floor, because there is no precious metal here.

The only versions that command more are:

1. Uncirculated examples with original mint luster and no handling marks. A high-grade coin, certified by NGC or PCGS in a top grade, can sell for a modest premium over the common price. Still a small figure, not a fortune.
2. Verified mint errors (double die, wrong planchet, off-center strikes). A confirmed, documented error is where real money can appear, but a coin that already circulated almost never qualifies.

The myth: "is this worth thousands?"

Search this coin online and you will find resale listings asking hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Those are asking prices, not sale prices. A coin with a mintage of over 19 million and no precious metal content does not sell for thousands unless it carries a documented, authenticated error. Do not price your coin off those listings.

Does the 1973 5 Pesos contain silver?

No. The 5 Pesos denomination was struck in silver in earlier decades, but by the 1970s Mexico had switched to cupronickel to control production costs as metal prices rose. This 1973 issue is entirely base metal. Its value comes from collector demand, not melt.

The Guerrero cupronickel series

The cupronickel 5 Pesos with Guerrero ran from 1971 to 1978, with a notable gap: none were struck in 1975. They all share the same design. The 1973 is one of the most common dates in the family. If you are building a set by year or by denomination, this is an easy and affordable entry point, and a genuinely satisfying coin to hold given its size and weight.

How to tell if yours is genuine

With a common coin like this, outright fakes are rare because there is little profit in counterfeiting a 2-dollar piece. Still, verify the basics:

• Weight: should be very close to 13.97 grams. A cheap kitchen scale that reads to 0.1 g works.
• Diameter: 33 mm.
• Edge: reeded with INDEPENDENCIA Y LIBERTAD.
• Mint mark: the Mo near the date.
• Detail: Guerrero's profile should be crisp.

If the weight or size is off, be suspicious. For anything you think might be an error or a high-grade coin, professional grading (NGC or PCGS) settles the question and, more importantly, unlocks whatever premium exists.

Where to sell or appraise it

Skip the inflated resale-platform listings, which rarely turn into actual sales. Take your coin to a working numismatist who quotes real prices. You can find reputable dealers in the Pesoteca shop directory. If you have a box of mixed coins, it is worth checking each one against our guide to the most valuable Mexican coins before you sell anything as a lot.

Think you might have an error variety, or want a second opinion on grade? Post clear photos of both sides and the edge in the Pesoteca forum and let the community weigh in.

The circulating peso coins of Mexico from the second half of the 20th century were struck in alloys that changed with the cost of the metals and inflationary processes: .720 silver in the $1, $5, $10, $25 denominations during the 1940s-50s; cupronickel starting in the 1970s; aluminum bronze and stainless steel in the 1980s; pieces with figures (Hidalgo, Cuauhtémoc, Juárez, Madero) in the late 1980s just before the transition to Nuevos Pesos in 1992. 1973 corresponds to the period when this variant was in circulation.