Secretaría de Hacienda y Crédito Público Medal (1954)

This large-module silver medal came from the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit in 1954, part of the series of pieces the department struck on the occasion of its official exhibitions.

Finance was one of the most powerful ministries in the federal government, in charge of public finances at the height of the Mexican Miracle. Its exhibitions served to showcase the administration's work and the soundness of the State's accounts.

Cataloged by Grove as E-218a, the piece was struck at the Mexican Mint, which reported to this same ministry. Its size, close to fifty millimeters, places it among the table medals, meant for display and for leaving a solemn record of the country's institutional events.

The Secretaría de Hacienda y Crédito Público medal, struck in 1954, is a silver piece paying tribute to one of the oldest and most central institutions in Mexico's economic life. At 50.08 millimeters in diameter and 70.73 grams in weight, it has the presence of a large-format medal, meant to commemorate and to last.

Being made of silver, its value starts from a clear floor: the fine-metal content of 70.73 grams. From there, what drives it up is condition, how short the issue was, and interest in the subject it commemorates. A piece with no wear and its original case is worth quite a bit more than a mishandled one. To value it, it helps to confirm the metal by weighing it, read the legend and motif that define its historical interest, check that it retains a natural patina with no scratches or harsh cleaning, and look for the case or certificate if it ever had them, because 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. Its reference in the specialized catalog is Grove, Medals of México, II #E-218a.