Valladolid Medal

This medal belongs to the royal proclamations and oaths held in Valladolid, today Morelia, within the Hispanic tradition of striking pieces when the cities of the Viceroyalty of New Spain swore loyalty to a new Spanish monarch. Valladolid was an important city of the Bajío and the birthplace of key figures of Independence.

These oath ceremonies gathered the authorities and the population around the pledge of fidelity to the Crown, and the distribution of medals was part of the ceremonial. The pieces combined the political meaning of the oath with the display of local power.

Cataloged by Grove among the proclamations and oaths and struck in silver, it is placed by its theme in the colonial period. Its value lies in representing the ritual of monarchical loyalty in a city that, years later, would become a stage and seedbed of the insurgent movement.

The Valladolid medal is a silver piece that is part of the Mexican numismatic heritage, dedicated to commemorating Valladolid, one of those names loaded with history that spark the interest of collectors and enthusiasts. Struck in silver, it combines the appeal of a precious metal with the value of recalling a theme that carries weight in our memory.

Being made of silver, its value has a floor: the fine-metal content, which in this case corresponds to its 6.59 grams. Above that, what drives it up is preservation, the short size of the issue, and interest in the theme it commemorates. The piece measures 28.02 millimeters in diameter, and an example with no wear, natural patina, and its original case is worth considerably more than one that has been handled or aggressively cleaned.

To identify and value it, it is worth confirming the metal by weighing it, reading the legend and the motif that define its historical interest, checking that it has no scratches or heavy cleaning, and looking for the case and the certificate if it had them, since they add collector value. You can 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 referenced in the catalog as Grove, Medals of México, I #C-248.