Asociación de beneficencia Medal (1878)

Silver medal of a charity association, dated 1878, among pieces of a social character.

Charity associations flourished in 19th-century Mexico to care for the most vulnerable sectors: the sick, orphans, the elderly, and the needy. In an era without developed public social-assistance institutions, organized charity, often of religious or philanthropic roots, covered those needs.

This piece served as an emblem for the members of one of those associations. It documents the role of private charity in Mexican social life, a complement to the incipient state welfare. It reflects the philanthropic spirit of sectors of society that, through organized solidarity, sought to relieve poverty and destitution in the country.

What it shows

The entry is titled Medalla Asociación de beneficencia (1878), but the image that accompanies it corresponds to a completely different piece. The photos show a medal from the footwear trade: on one face, the bust of a man with glasses surrounded by the legend 50 AÑOS EN LA INDUSTRIA DEL CALZADO, the dates 1909 and 1969, and the name AURELIO LOPEZ NUÑEZ. On the other face appear the towers of the Guadalajara cathedral and the text GUADALAJARA MÉXICO CUNA DEL CALZADO CANADA LA MAS IMPORTANTE INDUSTRIA DEL RAMO EN LATINO AMÉRICA.

Context

By the engraved legends, the photographed piece commemorates half a century of the Calzado Canadá company in Guadalajara, Jalisco, between 1909 and 1969, and not a charitable association of 1878. We prefer to point this out rather than invent a story the photos do not support. Until the image is corrected, take the motif data with reservation.

Value and collecting

A commemorative medal like this is not legal tender and has no face value: what matters is the metal, the state of preservation, and demand among collectors of the subject. Before buying or selling it is worth verifying the piece in hand. If you want to price it or trade it, check the directory at /tiendas, and if you are looking for a second opinion on the identification, raise it at /foro.