San Francisco Ixtlahuaca Medal (1809)

This 1809 medal, engraved by Francisco Gordillo, commemorates the proclamation of Fernando VII in San Francisco Ixtlahuaca, a town in the Toluca valley in what is now the State of Mexico, with deep Mazahua and Otomi roots. Although the king was proclaimed in 1808, the oaths extended into 1809.

New Spain had sworn loyalty to Fernando VII in absentia, recognizing him as legitimate king against the usurper Joseph Bonaparte imposed by Napoleon. Ixtlahuaca was a farming community in the high valleys northwest of the capital, with a significant Indigenous population.

That a town of this character struck its own proclamation medal, signed by an engraver like Gordillo, shows how the ritual of loyalty to the king brought in communities of every scale and origin. These 1809 pieces bear witness to the moment when the entire viceroyalty, in all its diversity, swore allegiance to a captive monarch shortly before the War of Independence divided New Spain.

The San Francisco Ixtlahuaca medal, struck in 1809, is a silver piece commemorating this Franciscan devotion and reflects the fine engraving work of the viceregal era in Mexico. At just 28 millimeters in diameter and 9.83 grams, it is the work of the engraver Francisco Gordillo, whose name accompanies this historical issue.

Being a silver medal, its value has a floor: the precious-metal content, those 9.83 grams. Above that, what pushes it higher is condition, how short the issue was, and interest in the theme it commemorates. A piece with no wear and its original case is worth considerably more than one that has been handled.

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 San Francisco Ixtlahuaca, 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. For the collector, this medal is cataloged as Grove, Medals of México, I #F-156.