Extraordinary Congress Medal (1855)

Silver medal of the Extraordinary Congress, dated 1855, a pivotal year in Mexican history.

In 1855 the Revolution of Ayutla triumphed, overthrowing Santa Anna and ending his last dictatorship. This opened the period of the Reform, with the rise to power of the liberal generation led by Juan Álvarez, Ignacio Comonfort, and, after them, Benito Juárez. A Constituent Congress was convened that would produce the Constitution of 1857.

This piece commemorates the work of an extraordinary congress at that founding moment. It documents the start of one of the most momentous stages of 19th-century Mexico, when liberalism undertook the deep transformation of the country against the privileges inherited from the old regime.

The Medalla Congreso Extraordinario of 1855 is a silver piece that commemorates a key moment in Mexican political life in the mid-19th century. Its discreet size of just 25.97 millimeters and its striking in a precious metal make it a coveted object for those who collect the history of Mexico through its medals.

This medal is made of silver, weighing 6.79 grams, which gives it a floor value tied to its fine-metal content. Above that, what raises its price is condition, how short the issue was, and interest in the event it celebrates. A piece with no wear, with a natural patina and in its original case, is worth considerably more than one that has been mishandled or aggressively cleaned.

To identify and value it, it is best to confirm the metal by weighing it to estimate its fine-silver content, read the legend and the motif referring to the Congreso Extraordinario, check the condition while avoiding scratches and cleaning, and look for the original case or certificate if it had them, since 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, II #99a.