ChIapa Medal. 2 reales (1808)

This 1808 medal, of the two-reales module, commemorates the proclamation of Fernando VII in Chiapa (present-day Chiapas or its town of Chiapa de Corzo), in the far southeast of the viceroyalty. The year was critical owing to the Bayonne abdications forced by Napoleon.

New Spain swore fidelity to Fernando VII in absentia, recognizing him as the legitimate king against the usurper Joseph Bonaparte. That the oath reached as far as Chiapa, a mountainous and remote region bordering the Captaincy General of Guatemala, shows the enormous reach of the imperial ritual.

The two-reales module indicates it was a piece for wide distribution, imitating circulating coinage. These 1808 proclamation medals, struck even in the farthest corners of the southeast, testify to how the crisis of the Spanish monarchy mobilized the entire territory in a single act of loyalty to the captive king, barely two years before the independence outbreak.

The "ChIapa. 2 reales" medal of 1808 is a silver piece that connects us directly with provincial life in New Spain in the years before the struggle for Independence. At just 26.66 millimeters in diameter and 6.67 grams in weight, it is one of those small pieces whose historical value far exceeds its size.

Because it is a silver medal, its value has a clear floor in its precious-metal content, its 6.67 grams. Above that, what drives it up is condition, the small size of the issue, and interest in the subject it commemorates. A piece with no wear and its original case is worth quite a bit more than one that has been handled.

How to identify and value this medal

1. Confirm the metal. It is silver; weigh it to estimate its fine-metal content.
2. Read the legend and motif. It commemorates "ChIapa. 2 reales," which defines its historical interest.
3. Check the condition. No scratches or aggressive cleaning, with natural patina.
4. Look for the case and certificate if it had them: they add collector value.

Explore more pieces in the Mexican numismatics catalog and learn to read the marks in the guide on how to identify Mexican mints. For the collector, this medal is cataloged as Grove, Medals of México, I #F-40.