Casa de Moneda de México Medal (1989)

This medal comes from the Mexico City Mint (Casa de Moneda de México), the oldest mint in America, founded in 1535. Throughout the 20th century, the institution struck numerous commemorative pieces to spread its history and its work, tied to anniversaries, industrial plants, or technical milestones.

Of generous module and worked in silver, this 1989 issue is among the institutional medals that the mint intended for collectors and official gifts.

More an object of prestige than a coin, pieces like this allowed the Mint to show its mastery in the art of striking and to leave a record of its role as the cradle of Mexican coinage.

What it shows

The obverse features an old coining screw press, the machine the mint used to strike coins by hand, with the year 1989 at the bottom and the circular legend CASA DE MONEDA DE MÉXICO within a cord of dots. The reverse bears a pre-Hispanic stone mask gazing straight ahead, surrounded by the legend CASA DE MONEDA · MÉXICO ESPLENDOR DE 30 SIGLOS. Both faces come from the Numismatic Collection of the Banco de México.

Context

The piece pays tribute to the Casa de Moneda de México, the oldest mint on the continent, founded in 1535. The motto "México, esplendor de treinta siglos" accompanied a great exhibition of Mexican cultural heritage in those years, and here it is rendered in that ancestral mask that converses with the craft of minting.

Value and collecting

It is not legal tender and never had purchasing power: it is a commemorative silver medal. Its value is governed by condition and metal content, not a face value. A mirror-like example, with no rubs or harsh cleaning, always carries more weight in the market. If you are looking to buy or sell it, check the directory of shops and compare notes with other collectors in the forum.