Guanajuato Medal. Los mineros (1790)

This 1790 medal, engraved by Geronimo Antonio Gil, commemorates the proclamation of Carlos IV promoted by the miners' guild of Guanajuato, the silver-producing heart of the viceroyalty. Upon the death of Carlos III in 1788, each New Spanish corporation paid its own homage to the new sovereign.

That the miners struck their own medal has a powerful logic: the silver they extracted from the ground was the economic sustenance of the Spanish empire. Their ceremonial loyalty carried an enormous symbolic weight, since they literally sustained the Crown they swore allegiance to.

Signed by the chief engraver of the Mint and founder of the Academy of San Carlos, the piece combines the prestige of the guild with the mastery of the kingdom's foremost craftsman. The silvered bronze finish sought the shine of silver at a lower cost, a frequent technique in the exhibition examples of these large commemorative medals.

The "Guanajuato. Los mineros" medal was struck in 1790. It is made of silvered bronze, measures 47.28 mm in diameter, and weighs 50.93 grams, the work of the engraver Gerónimo Antonio Gil. In the specialized catalog it appears referenced as Grove, Medals of México, I #C-75d.

As a silvered bronze medal, its value comes not from the metal but from its commemorative nature: the event it celebrates, its age (the viceregal era), and demand among collectors of the subject. Condition and the rarity of the issue are what set the price.

How to identify and value this medal

1. Confirm the metal. It is silvered bronze; its value depends on the subject and the condition.
2. Read the legend and the motif. It commemorates "Guanajuato. Los mineros," which defines its historical interest.
3. Check the condition. No scratches or harsh cleaning, with 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.