San Juan de los Lagos Medal

This religious medal is dedicated to the Virgin of San Juan de los Lagos, one of the most venerated Marian devotions in Mexico, whose sanctuary is located in the Jalisco municipality of the same name. The cult of this image, linked to the Immaculate Conception, dates back to the seventeenth century and continues to draw millions of pilgrims each year.

San Juan de los Lagos is one of the great pilgrimage centers of the country, along with the Basilica of Guadalupe. Around the sanctuary, religious keepsakes abound, among them medals like this one, which the faithful carry as a sign of devotion.

Catalogued by Grove and struck in silver-plated copper, it has no recorded year. Its value lies in the bond with one of the most important Marian devotions in Mexico and in the long tradition of religious pieces tied to pilgrimage.

The "San Juan de los Lagos" medal is a devotional piece from the Mexican numismatic record, tied to one of the most venerated Marian shrines in the country and to the tradition of religious commemorative medals. Struck in silvered copper, it celebrates a motif of strong popular roots that makes it especially appealing to collectors of historical and devotional themes.

It is made of silvered copper, measures 31.77 millimeters in diameter and weighs 13.07 grams. As a silvered copper medal, its value comes not from the metal but from what it commemorates: the motif it celebrates, its age, corresponding to the 1821-1910 era, and demand among collectors of the theme. Condition and the rarity of the issue are ultimately what set the price.

How to identify and value this medal

1. Confirm the metal. It is silvered copper; its value depends on the theme and condition.
2. Read the legend and the motif. It commemorates "San Juan de los Lagos," which defines its historical interest.
3. Check the condition. Free of scratches or harsh cleaning, with a natural patina.
4. Look for the case and 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 how to identify Mexican mints guide. For the collector, this piece is cataloged as Grove, Medals of México, II #366bp.