SHCP / Mexican Mint Medal (1980)

This small copper medal was issued by the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit through the Mexican Mint in 1980, among the pieces with which the mint publicized its own work.

The Mexican Mint, founded in 1535, is the oldest coin-striking institution in the American continent. Over nearly five centuries it has struck the coins of the viceroyalty, of independent Mexico, and of the modern republic, being the custodian of a metallurgical tradition of incalculable value.

Of reduced module, the piece belongs to the mint's own institutional issues. These medals document and celebrate the craft of striking coinage, a national heritage. That the Mint issued pieces about itself reflects pride in a history that makes it one of the oldest living mints in the world.

The SHCP / Casa de Moneda de México medal, struck in 1980, is a commemorative piece issued by the Secretaría de Hacienda y Crédito Público that celebrates the historic Mexican Mint, the oldest minting institution in the Americas. Its theme makes it especially appealing to those who collect the country's monetary history.

It is made of copper, measures 20 millimeters in diameter and weighs 4.56 grams. Being a copper medal, its value comes not from the metal but from what it commemorates: the prestige of the institution it represents, its age, and demand among collectors of the theme. Condition and the rarity of the issue are what set the price, so it is worth seeking out examples free of scratches or harsh cleaning, with a natural patina, and preferably accompanied by their original case or certificate if it came with them.

To identify it correctly, confirm that it is copper and read the legend and the motif, since commemorating the Mexican Mint is what defines its historical interest. Explore more pieces in the Mexican numismatics catalog and learn to read the marks in the how to identify Mexican mints guide.