Vuelo de Barberan Medal - Collar (1933)

In 1933, the Spanish aviators Mariano Barberán and Joaquín Collar achieved a historic feat by crossing the Atlantic nonstop for the first time, from Seville to Cuba, aboard the aircraft Cuatro Vientos. After their success, they set off on the flight to Mexico, where the plane mysteriously vanished.

This silver-plated copper medal from 1933, in the form of a commemorative collar, honors that Barberán flight. Mexico welcomed the aviators with enthusiasm, and their tragic disappearance over Mexican territory became one of aviation's great mysteries.

The piece bears witness to the fervor for aviation in the 1930s and to the ties between Mexico and Spain. It documents an exploit that united both countries in admiration and, later, in mourning for the loss of those daring pilots.

The Vuelo de Barberán medal with collar, struck in 1933, commemorates one of the most celebrated aviation feats of its time and today is a piece coveted by those who collect Mexican medallic art on historical themes. It is made of silvered copper, measures 37.14 millimeters in diameter, and weighs 24.51 grams.

In a silvered copper medal the value comes not from the metal but from what it represents: the event it celebrates, its age, and demand among collectors interested in the subject. Condition and the rarity of the issue are what truly set the price, so it is worth seeking examples with no scratches or harsh cleaning, with natural patina, and with a case or certificate if they 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. For the collector, this medal is cataloged as Grove, Medals of México, II #479a.