Battle of Caborca Medal. Holed (1957)

This silver medal, holed for wear, commemorates the Battle of Caborca, an episode that took place in 1857 in what is now the state of Sonora, when the local population repelled an incursion of filibusters led by the American adventurer Henry Crabb.

The defense of Caborca became a symbol of resistance against the armed expeditions that sought to seize Mexican territory in the north, at a time when the border was a scene of tensions after the war with the United States. The town is known today as Heroica Caborca in memory of that feat.

Cataloged by Grove as 694a, the piece came out in 1957, probably on the centennial of the event. The minting of commemorative medals of feats of national defense was the province of the Mexican Mint or of the capital's medallic workshops.

The Batalla de Caborca medal struck in 1957 commemorates one of the most remembered episodes in the defense of northern Mexico, when the inhabitants of Caborca repelled a filibuster incursion. Wrought in silver, at 37.58 millimeters in diameter and 28.15 grams in weight, it is a piece that unites historical memory and precious-metal content in a single collectible object.

Being silver, its value has a clear floor: the fine-metal content of its 28.15 grams. Above that, what makes it rise is condition, how short the issue was, and interest in the subject it commemorates. A piece with no wear, with natural patina and its original case, is worth considerably more than one that has been handled or aggressively cleaned. It pays to check that it has no scratches and to look for the case or certificate that may have accompanied it, since they add collector value.

For the collector, this medal is cataloged as Grove, Medals of México, II #694a. You can explore more pieces in the Mexican numismatics catalog and learn to read the marks in the guide on how to identify Mexican mints.