Santiago Tuxtla Medal (1809)

This 1809 medal commemorates the proclamation of Fernando VII in Santiago Tuxtla, a town in the Los Tuxtlas region, on the southern coast of Veracruz. Although the king was proclaimed in 1808, the oaths extended into 1809 in many towns.

New Spain had sworn fidelity to Fernando VII in absentia, recognizing him as the legitimate king against the usurper José Bonaparte imposed by Napoleon. Santiago Tuxtla was a tropical town on the Gulf slope, in a region of ancient Olmec past and an economy tied to tobacco and cattle ranching.

That a town on the southeastern Veracruz coast struck its own proclamation medal shows the broad reach of the imperial ritual. With good diameter and weight, this piece belongs to the provincial issues of a certain heft. It is testimony to how the crisis of the Spanish monarchy, the prelude to Independence, mobilized communities across the viceroyalty in homage to the captive king.

The "Santiago Tuxtla" medal is a silver piece struck in 1809, a testament to the New Spain medallic art of the early nineteenth century. Its commemorative theme and the scarcity of issues from this era make it an object greatly prized by those who collect historical Mexican medals.

Struck in silver, it measures 40 millimeters in diameter and weighs 26.84 grams. Because it is a precious-metal piece, its value has a floor set by its silver content. Above that floor, 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 "Santiago Tuxtla," 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-184.