The Mexican Mint is the official mint of the government of Mexico. It was originally formed in 1535, during the time of the Spanish expansion into Central and South America, and its conquest of the Aztec empire. It has existed in various forms since that time. The mint was originally set up under decree from Spain, and was the first precious metals mint to be established in the Americas. Its silver coins which were widely circulated in the 1800's were influential in the creation of many modern currencies, including the USD, the JPY and the CNY. The Mexican Mint also manufacture fine coinage for a number of countries, including Brazil, Spain, the United States, Nicaragua, Argentina, and even Germany. The bank was originally located in Mexico City. However, today it only manufactures coins out of its location in San Luis Potosi. The mint's primary client is the Bank of Mexico.
The Libertad Series
In addition to producing fiat currency for the Bank of Mexico, the Mexican Mint also manufacture a small range of precious metals products for reatils investos. The most prominent line of coins available are the Mexican Libertad series, which are available in gold and silver. Unlike most silver coins available on the market, the Mexican Mint produce the silver libertad coin in a variety of sizes, ranging from 1/2 ounce to 1 kilogram sizes. The images on the gold and silver Libertad coins are the same, and both contain 999 fine investment grade gold bullion.
Unlike most government issued precious metals coins, the Mexican Libertad does not have a face value. The South African Krugerrand coin is similar in that it also does not have a face value. This does not affect the value of the coin, as precious metals coins are purchased for their intrinsic gold or silver value, and not for a government issued nominal value.
Available Mexican Libertad Sizes | ||||||||
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Gold | 1/20 Oz | 1/10 Oz | 1/4 Oz | 1/2 Oz | 1 Oz | |||
Silver | 1/20 Oz | 1/10 Oz | 1/4 Oz | 1/2 Oz | 1 Oz | 2 Oz | 5 Oz | 1 Kg |
The Libertad series was first introduced into the precious metals market in 1982, and have been continuously available since then. Each coin features an image of the Mexican coat of arms on the front, in the center. The reverse of the coin features an image of Winged Victoria standing in front of 2 of Mexico's most famous volcanoes, Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl.
The Mexican Mint briefly launched a 1/4 Ounce platinum Libertad coin, which was only released in 1989 with a limited mintage of 3,500.
The Mexican Peso Gold Coin Series
At 37.5 grams the Mexican Peso gold coin is a slightly larger size than the traditional 1 Ounce coins. This is due to the fact that the coin has been produced since 1535. These gold coins have always been produced by the Mexican Mint, of and on. The 50 Peso coin depicts images from Mexico's history. The Angel of Independence is located on the front, and Mexico's coat of arms is located on the reverse. Almost all coins currently available in the precious metals market are restrikes of the 1947 issue gold coin.
Unlike the Libertad coin, the Peso has a face value of 50 Pesos. The Peso coin is only available in gold. The most prominent size is the 50 Peso gold coin, but the coin is also available in smaller sizes, including the 20 Peso and 10 Peso gold coin.
Mexican Mint gold and silver coins are popular with precious metals investors. The 50 Peso gold coin in particular trades at a low margin over the spot gold price, and therefore makes it a popular coin choice for gold buyers. Libertads tend to sell at a slightly higher margin, and many investors will buy only a few coins rather than taking large positions in Libertads for that reason.