5 Pesos Andrés Molina Enríquez 2009: Value & Prices

If you found a 2009 Mexican 5 pesos coin honoring Andrés Molina Enríquez, here is the honest answer: the regular circulation version is worth about 1 to 5 USD, close to face value plus a small collector premium. The version that actually holds value is the encapsulated silver proof, and only if you have the original Banxico case. This is not a rare coin, but there are two very different versions and telling them apart is the whole game.

What this coin actually is

This is a bimetallic (two-metal) commemorative 5 pesos struck by Banco de México (Banxico, the Mexican central bank) in 2009. It belongs to a large series called "Centenario de la Revolución Mexicana," which marked 100 years since the Mexican Revolution. Banxico released dozens of designs in this program, each honoring a different figure. This one honors Andrés Molina Enríquez, the writer of "Los grandes problemas nacionales," an important book in Mexican history.

Because the series was so large and widely distributed, most of these coins are common. That matters for value: common means cheap.

The two versions (this decides the price)

There are two versions of this exact coin, and they are worth very different amounts.

1. Circulation version. This is the one that went into everyday change in Mexico. It has an aluminum-bronze outer ring and a plain (non-silver-looking, though technically silver-centered in the proof, see below) center. In practice, worn circulated pieces trade for roughly 1 to 5 USD. If it is uncirculated with sharp detail, maybe up to 8 USD to the right collector.

2. Silver proof, encapsulated. This is the collector version. The center is .925 sterling silver, struck to proof finish (mirror fields, frosted design), and it was sold sealed in an official Banxico capsule with a presentation case. With the original case and certificate, this version carries a real premium over the circulation coin. Without the case, still sealed in its capsule, it holds most of that value. Loose out of the capsule, the premium drops sharply.

If you are not sure which one you have: the silver proof looks flawless, mirror-like, and almost always comes in a plastic capsule or case. The circulation coin looks like pocket change.

Real specifications (verify yours against these)

Feature	Specification
Denomination	5 pesos
Year	2009
Weight	9.76 g
Diameter	30.52 mm
Edge	Plain (smooth)
Composition	Aluminum-bronze ring, .925 silver center (proof version)
Finish	Proof (encapsulated) and regular circulation
Issuer	Banco de México (Banxico)

These numbers are the fastest authenticity check you have. A jeweler's scale and a caliper will tell you in seconds whether a coin matches the official weight of 9.76 g and diameter of 30.52 mm.

Is it rare or worth a fortune?

No. If someone online told you a 2009 Mexican 5 pesos is worth hundreds or thousands of dollars, that is almost certainly clickbait or a confused listing. This was a mass-issued commemorative. The value ceiling for the circulation version is a few dollars. The silver proof has real but modest collector value, driven by the silver content and the sealed presentation package, not by rarity in the true sense.

The one exception that could change the math is a genuine, verifiable mint error (off-center strike, die rotation, double strike). Real errors can multiply value. The catch: most "errors" people post online are post-mint damage (dings, corrosion, cleaning), not factory errors. If you think you have a true error, get it looked at before you get excited.

How to check what yours is worth

1. Identify the version. Circulation coin or silver proof in a capsule. This is the single biggest factor.
2. Check weight and diameter. Match against 9.76 g and 30.52 mm. Off numbers mean a fake or a problem.
3. Grade the condition. Worn coins bring less. A sharp, undamaged coin brings the top of the range. Do not clean it, cleaning lowers collector value.
4. Confirm the packaging (proof only). Original Banxico case and paperwork add value. Keep it sealed.

For a broader look at how the Revolution commemoratives compare, see our guide to Mexican commemorative coins and our overview of silver Mexican coins and their melt floor.

Where to sell it

For a coin in this price range, skip the tourist traps and the first Facebook offer. Two safe routes:

• A verified coin shop from the Pesoteca dealer directory, which can value it on the spot.
• The Pesoteca buy-and-sell forum, where you deal with actual collectors who know these commemoratives.

Before you sell, photograph the front, back, and edge in good light, and compare against the price ranges here. If you have the silver proof with its case, list that clearly, it is the difference between a couple of dollars and a real premium.

Have a 2009 Andrés Molina 5 pesos and not sure which version you're holding? Post clear photos of both sides on the Pesoteca forum and let collectors confirm it for you.

Andrés Molina Enríquez: sociologist, jurist, and theorist of agrarianism

Andrés Molina Enríquez (1868-1940) was a sociologist, jurist, and theorist of agrarianism during the Mexican Revolution.

Molina Enríquez published Los grandes problemas nacionales in 1909, a work that documented the concentration of land in the hands of hacienda owners and anticipated the revolutionary agrarian argument. His influence is direct in the drafting of Article 27 of the 1917 Constitution, the legal foundation of Mexican land redistribution.

Context of the year. The piece is from 2009 and honors the ideologue of land redistribution. His 1909 book gave academic framing to the demand for land that Zapata would turn into a revolutionary program.

The reverse of the coin. The reverse of this 5-peso piece shows the portrait of Andrés Molina Enríquez, his engraved signature, and the year 2009, in accordance with the official catalog of the Bank of Mexico for the commemorative series of the Centennial of the start of the Revolution (1910-2010).

Legacy. The municipality of Molina Enríquez in Sultepec, State of Mexico, and several law schools recognize him as the father of Mexican agrarian law.