Description
As one of the oldest currencies in North America, the Mexican peso is the direct descendant of the eight-piece issued by the Spanish government. The peso was accepted as far afield as China during the 19th century and was considered legal tender in the USA and Canada for at least half of that century. Mexico has a long history of minting high-quality coinage, largely due to the abundance of gold and silver that was exploited by Spanish conquerors from the early 1500s. Minting of the Libertad began in 1981 as a replacement for the Onza. Ten years later, production of fractional coins, including the 1/2, 1/4, 1/10, and 1/20, commenced. While the Libertad is considered legal tender in Mexico, it is minted without a face value, and so its real value must be calculated based on the daily fluctuations of the price of gold.
The Libertad 1/10 oz Gold Coin is a significant piece of Mexican numismatic history, featuring 999.9% pure gold and weighing 3.11 grams. Coins from key years, such as 1981 and 1994, are highly sought after by collectors and can command significant premiums. The obverse features the Mexican coat of arms is displayed as proudly on this coin as on the national flag. An eagle perched with one leg atop a prickly pear cactus while devouring a snake depicts the legend of the founding of Tenochtitlan – now Mexico City. The reverse features Winged Victory with a laurel wreath in her right hand and a broken chain in her left hand, with the Valley of Mexico in the background and Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl volcanoes in the distance.
