El Protomedicato Medal (1823)

Medal of proclamation and oath of allegiance of the Protomedicato, struck in 1823 and engraved by Francisco Gordillo. The Royal Tribunal of the Protomedicato was the institution charged with regulating the practice of medicine, examining physicians and overseeing public health, a direct inheritance of the viceregal order.

That the Protomedicato struck its own oath medal shows how the professional corporations of early independent Mexico sought to affirm their loyalty to the regime, in this case to the empire of Iturbide in its final months.

This silver piece, of good module, documents the role of a medical institution that would soon be replaced by the new academies of republican Mexico. It is a bridge between the colonial health organization and the country's nascent professional life.

The El Protomedicato medal, struck in 1823, is a silver testament to the early years of independent Mexico and to the prestige of the viceregal medical tribunal whose name it recalls. Engraved by Francisco Gordillo, it combines the appeal of precious metal with a historical subject rarely seen among collectors.

It is made of silver, measures 40 millimeters in diameter, and weighs 30.52 grams. Being a silver piece, its value has a clear floor: the precious-metal content. Above that, what drives it up is condition, the small size of the issue, and interest in the subject it commemorates. An example with no wear and its original case is worth considerably 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 the motif. It commemorates El Protomedicato, which defines its historical interest.
3. Check the condition. No scratches or harsh cleaning, with a natural patina.
4. Look for the case and certificate if it once 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, its catalog reference is Grove, Medals of México, II #17a.