Chihuahua Ecclesiastical Court Silver Medal (1790)

Engraved by Gerónimo Antonio Gil in 1790, this medal commemorates the proclamation of Carlos IV promoted by the Ecclesiastical Court of Chihuahua, in the far north of the viceroyalty. After the death of Carlos III in 1788, each New Spain corporation, including the religious authorities, paid its own tribute to the new king.

That an ecclesiastical institution from a region as remote as Chihuahua would commission a medal from the chief engraver of the Mint reveals how far the empire's administrative and ceremonial network reached. Chihuahua was a mining center and an outpost facing the northern lands still in dispute.

Gil, founder of the Academy of San Carlos, guaranteed the highest artistic quality with his signature. The involvement of the ecclesiastical court is a reminder that in the viceroyalty, recognizing the king was also a religious act: he was sworn as sovereign by the grace of God, uniting the power of the Church with that of the Crown.

If you inherited a 1790 silver medal marked "Chihuahua. Juzgado Eclesiástico," here is the honest answer: it is worth at least its silver content, and possibly more if it is well preserved and complete. This is a commemorative medal, not a circulating coin, so its value is entirely numismatic: silver weight, condition, and how few were struck.

The piece is silver, 47 mm in diameter, and weighs 47.86 grams. It was engraved by Gerónimo Antonio Gil, one of the most important die engravers in colonial Mexico, and it is cataloged as Grove, Medals of México, I #C-52a. That reference matters when you go to sell or authenticate it.

What it's actually worth in 2026

Start with the floor. At 47.86 grams of silver, the medal will always be worth at least its melt value in that metal. That is your bottom number regardless of who you talk to, and it moves with the silver spot price. A dealer offering you less than melt is lowballing you.

Above that floor, three things push the price up:

1. Condition. A medal with no scratches, no harsh cleaning, and original toning (the natural patina silver develops) commands a real premium. A polished or damaged piece drops toward melt.
2. Scarcity. Colonial commemorative medals like this were struck in small numbers, far fewer than any circulating coin. Survivors in good shape are genuinely uncommon.
3. Original case and paperwork. If it came with its original box or certificate, keep them. They can add meaningfully to the collector value.

Because specific auction records for this exact type are thin, we give you an honest range instead of a fake exact figure: expect somewhere from its silver melt value on the low end to several hundred dollars for a clean, complete example with strong eye appeal. A pristine, cased specimen with documented provenance can go higher. If a website tells you a piece like this is "worth thousands" with no auction record to back it, treat that as clickbait until you see a hammer price.

Attribute	Detail
Type	Commemorative silver medal
Date	1790
Metal	Silver
Weight	47.86 grams
Diameter	47 mm
Engraver	Gerónimo Antonio Gil
Catalog reference	Grove, Medals of México, I #C-52a
Value floor	Silver melt value

Medal vs. coin: why this matters for value

A coin has a face value and legal tender status. This does not. It is a medal, meaning it was never money and can't be spent. That is not a downside. Colonial medals are collected for their theme, artistry, and rarity, and a well-made silver medal from 1790 sits squarely in a category serious collectors follow. Do not judge its worth by any "denomination," because it has none.

How to check what yours is worth

1. Confirm the metal. It should be silver. Weigh it: a genuine example lands near 47.86 grams. A significant weight discrepancy is a red flag for a cast copy.
2. Read the design and legend. It should reference "Chihuahua. Juzgado Eclesiástico." Compare the details against the Grove #C-52a listing.
3. Examine the surfaces. Look for original patina and clean, sharp detail. Avoid the temptation to clean it. Cleaning almost always lowers the value.
4. Locate the case and certificate if the piece ever had them, and keep everything together.

How to tell if it's genuine

The two most common problems with colonial medals are cast reproductions and later restrikes. A struck original has crisp, well-defined lettering and a clean edge. Casts often show a grainy surface, soft details, and sometimes a seam on the rim. If the weight is off or the surface looks pitted or sandy, be cautious. For anything you believe might be a genuine original, have it authenticated by a recognized grading service (NGC or PCGS) or an established numismatic dealer before you sell.

Where to sell it

For a piece like this, avoid pawn shops and generic "we buy silver" outlets, which will only pay melt. Your best options are established auction houses that handle Mexican and colonial material (Heritage Auctions and Stack's Bowers both run Mexican numismatics sales), or a specialist dealer in Latin American coins and medals. Get it authenticated first so buyers pay for the collectible, not just the metal.

Browse comparable pieces in the Mexican numismatics catalog, learn to read production marks in our guide to identifying Mexican mints, and if you want a second opinion on your specific medal, post clear photos of both sides in the Pesoteca forum. Where did your 1790 Chihuahua medal come from, and does it still have its original case?