To Banco de México for Building a School Medal (1953)

This gilt copper medal, of the merit chapter, was awarded to the Banco de México for the construction of a school in 1953. It reflects a practice of the era in which institutions and companies sponsored social works, especially schools, as part of their commitment to the community.

The Banco de México, the country's central bank founded in 1925, did not limit itself to its monetary functions. Like many great institutions of the Mexican miracle period, it supported educational and welfare causes, and a recognition medal left a record of that collaboration.

Merit medals were a tangible form of thanks, given to those who contributed to a particular work. The striking of this kind of commemorative piece generally fell to the Mexican Mint or to medal workshops of the capital.

What it shows

A breast medal with a bar clasp and blue ribbon, of the kind pinned to the lapel. The engraved face bears the legend EN PRUEBA DE GRATITUD AL BANCO DE MÉXICO POR LA CONSTRUCCION DE NUESTRA ESCUELA, closed with the reference to MPIO SANTIAGO DE ANAYA HGO. The clasp bar caps the idea with a single engraved word: GRATITUD. The other face is a smooth, worn disc, with no visible motif, joined to the same ribbon.

Context

Santiago de Anaya is a municipality in the state of Hidalgo. The piece, dated 1953, is a recognition from a rural community to the Banco de México for having supported the construction of its school. It is not a coin or an official circulating issue, but a local commemorative medal, of the kind awarded as a distinction of merit.

Value and collecting

This medal is not legal tender, so its value comes not from an official mintage but from condition, the metal, and how specific the tribute is. The original ribbon and the complete clasp add points; the wear on the smooth face detracts. To gauge the price of similar pieces, it helps to check the shops directory and compare with other collectors in the forum.