Orizaba Medal (1793)

This small medal of 1793, of the half-real module, commemorates the proclamation of Charles IV in the Villa de Orizaba. Although the king ascended the throne in 1788, the town issued swearing-in pieces in several successive years, and this one corresponds to 1793.

Its reduced size reveals its function: these small medals were thrown to the public during the procession of the royal standard, and people picked them up as a memento of the proclamation festivity.

Orizaba, a tobacco-growing town of temperate climate on the route between Veracruz and the capital, showed with these repeated issues a notable attachment to the ritual of the swearing-in. These popular pieces, imitating the module of circulating coins, represent the face closest to the common people of those festivities: while the authorities received large silver medals, the crowd snatched these small commemorative coins from the ground after the standard passed.

The 1793 Orizaba Medal is a small silver piece that survives as a testament to viceregal Mexico, struck to commemorate Orizaba in the final years of the 18th century. Its small size, just 17.39 millimeters in diameter and 1.9 grams in weight, makes it a delicate object much prized by those who collect Mexican colonial medallic art.

Because it is a silver medal, its value starts from a floor: the precious metal content it holds. Above that, what drives it up is condition, how short the issue was, and interest in the subject it commemorates. A piece with no wear, with natural patina and its original case, is worth considerably more than one that has been handled 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 Orizaba, 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. For the collector, this medal is cataloged as Grove, Medals of México, I #C-109.