Emiliano Zapata Medal (1911)

Emiliano Zapata (1879-1919) was one of the great leaders of the Mexican Revolution and an eternal symbol of the struggle for the land. At the head of the agrarian movement of the south, he demanded the restitution of the land to the peasants under the motto "Tierra y Libertad" (Land and Liberty).

This 1911 silver medal commemorates him in the first moments of the Revolution, the year he promulgated the Plan de Ayala, a document that became the banner of Zapatismo and demanded distributing the land to the dispossessed communities.

The piece belongs to the category of figures. Zapata, assassinated in 1919, became one of Mexico's most revered heroes. It is testimony to the agrarian ideal that transformed the country and that was enshrined in Article 27 of the Constitution of 1917.

The 1911 "Emiliano Zapata" medal pays tribute to one of the most emblematic figures of the Mexican Revolution, in the very year when the agrarian movement was gaining strength in the south of the country. Struck in silver in Mexico, it combines the historical weight of its subject with the appeal of a commemorative precious-metal piece.

It is made of silver, measures 38.17 millimeters in diameter and weighs 25 grams. Being silver, its value has a clear floor: its fine-metal content. Above that, what drives it higher is condition, how short the issue was, and interest in the figure it commemorates. A piece with no wear, a natural patina, and its original case is worth considerably more than one that has been mishandled or aggressively cleaned.

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 Emiliano Zapata, 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 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 II #P-378a.