Banco del Centro Medal (1988)

This medal bears the name of the Banco del Centro (Bancen), a Mexican credit institution with a presence in the central region of the country during the 20th century. Commercial banking went through profound changes in those years, between the nationalization of 1982 and the later reprivatization.

Issues like this one accompanied anniversaries, openings, or institutional campaigns, and served to reinforce the bank's image of solidity in the eyes of its clients.

Struck in silver, it belongs to the commercial medals with which financial institutions recorded their milestones. Pieces of this kind, produced in controlled mintages, circulated among executives and distinguished clients as a commemorative object.

What it shows

This silver medal does not correspond to a bank: the main side carries the legend XV ANIVERSARIO around a logo formed by a triangle and an ascending arrow (the AV monogram), with the dates 1971-1986 at the foot. The other side surrounds a modern building with the legend ACCIONES Y VALORES DE MÉXICO and, below, CASA DE BOLSA. In other words, it commemorates the fifteen years of Accival, the brokerage firm founded in 1971.

Context

Acciones y Valores de México (Accival) was born in 1971 as a brokerage firm and was one of the most active players in the Mexican stock market before being integrated into Grupo Financiero Banamex-Accival in the 1990s. An anniversary medal like this was struck for executives, clients, and staff, not to circulate. The ascending arrow of the logo alludes to the growth of the securities market.

Value and collecting

It is not legal tender and has no face value: it is a private commemorative piece. Its price depends on the silver content, the state of preservation, and interest in Mexican corporate medals. Before buying or selling, it helps to compare in the store directory and settle authenticity questions in the forum.