Flower Exhibition Medal (1898)

The flower expositions were events valued by Porfirian society, which saw in gardening and horticulture a sign of refinement in the European manner. These contests brought together nurserymen and enthusiasts who competed for prizes.

This large bronze medal of 1898, in the expositions category, was awarded at one of these flower contests. The taste for gardens reflected the influence of French culture among the well-to-do classes of the Porfiriato.

Engraved by E. Moral, the piece documents a pleasant and refined facet of the cultural life of the era. It is a testament to the cultivated leisure of Porfirian society and to the place that natural beauty occupied in the rich tradition of expositions and medallic art of late-nineteenth-century Mexico.

The Exposición de flores medal is a commemorative piece struck in 1898, in the midst of the Porfiriato, to celebrate one of the flower shows that brought together Mexican society at the end of the 19th century. Engraved by E. Moral, it combines the era's taste for the ornamental with the historical interest it stirs today among collectors of Mexican medals.

It is made of bronze, measures 49.47 millimeters in diameter, and weighs 55.74 grams. Like any bronze medal, its value does not come from the metal but from the commemorative: the event it celebrates, its age within the 1821-1910 era, and demand among collectors of the subject. Condition and the rarity of the issue are what define the price.

How to identify and value this medal

1. Confirm the metal. It is bronze; its value depends on the subject and the condition.
2. Read the legend and the motif. It commemorates the Exposición de flores, which defines its historical interest.
3. Check the condition. No scratches or aggressive cleanings, with a natural patina.
4. Look for the case and the 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 #E-130b.