México Medal. Estatua Ecuestre (1796)

This bronze medal of 1796, engraved by Gerónimo Antonio Gil, commemorates the equestrian statue of Charles IV, the celebrated work that the Valencian sculptor Manuel Tolsá created for the Plaza Mayor of Mexico City and that we popularly know today as El Caballito. It is one of the most important bronze sculptures in the Americas.

Gil, chief engraver of the Mint and founder of the Academy of San Carlos, rendered in metal this image of the king on horseback, considered his masterpiece in medallic art. The piece celebrated both the monarch and the artistic triumph of the neoclassical school that Tolsá and Gil embodied in the capital.

At more than six centimeters in diameter and a notable weight, it is a monumental medal. It documents a high point of New Spanish art, when the Academy of San Carlos was producing works on par with the best in Europe, and one of its creations, El Caballito, was becoming an enduring symbol of the city.

The "México. Estatua Ecuestre" medal was struck in 1796. It is made of bronze, measures 60.53 mm in diameter and weighs 135.88 grams, the work of engraver Gerónimo Antonio Gil. In the specialized catalog it is referenced as Grove, Medals of México, I #C-267b.

As a bronze medal, its value comes not from the metal but from the commemorative: the event it celebrates, its age (viceroyalty 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 bronze; its value depends on the subject and the condition.
2. Read the legend and the motif. It commemorates "México. Estatua Ecuestre," which defines its historical interest.
3. Check the condition. No scratches or aggressive cleaning, with natural patina.
4. Look for the case and the certificate if it came with 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.