Sociedad Fraternidad y Constancia Medal (1872)

Silver medal of the Sociedad Fraternidad y Constancia, dated 1872, within the Mexican mutual-aid movement.

The names of the mutual-aid societies often proclaimed their values: fraternity, constancy, union, hope. These associations of artisans and workers organized to help one another in cases of illness, accident, or death, in an era without social security.

The year 1872, marked by the death of Benito Juárez and the rise of Sebastián Lerdo de Tejada, was one of full expansion of mutualism. This piece served as a badge to the members and a symbol of solidarity. It documents the growth of an associative movement that, based on reciprocal aid, was a precursor of the labor organizations of modern Mexico.

The Sociedad Fraternidad y Constancia medal, struck in 1872, is a silver piece that recalls one of the many mutual-aid societies of nineteenth-century Mexico, a time when civic association flourished as a support network among workers and artisans. Its commemorative theme and limited issue make it especially appealing to collectors of Mexican medals.

Struck in silver, it measures 32.57 millimeters in diameter and weighs 11.22 grams. Because it is a precious-metal medal, its value has a floor set by the silver content; 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. To evaluate it, confirm the metal and weigh it, read the legend and the motif that define its historical interest, check that it has no scratches or harsh cleaning and still keeps its natural patina, and look for the case or certificate if it had them, since 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 catalog reference is Grove, Medals of México, II #192a.