YESTERDAY WAS A GOOD DAY
Yesterday, December 16, may or may not have been my birthday. My beautiful, young wife Kepi, gave me this amazing coin. I have wanted it for many years but well, it's gold so....She shouldn't have done it but did.
I am talking about this 1918 gold Mexican 20 pesos. I would like to share it with everyone as I feel it is an unique coin most people have not seen before. The Mexican Vienta Peso was made from 1917-1921 as a circulating coin. They also made one run in 1959. From 1960-1971 over 1.5 million pieces were restruck. Most have the date of 1959. In 1996 a matte finish was struck, also with a 1959 date. Two overdate varieties exist that were made in 1920 and 1921. Those are very pricey.
The details of this coin are as follows. It is almost one-half ounce of .900 gold. With a diameter of 27.25mm and a thickness of 1.8mm it weighs in at 16.666g. The obverse has one of the Mexican Coat Of Arms of an eagle standing on a cactus with a snake in its beak. The words ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS and the date are also featured on it. The reverse shows the Aztec Calendar, Pieadra del Sol, with the value, VIENTE PESOS and *15 Gr. ORO PURO*. The coin has a KM number of 478. I almost forgot, the edge is lettered INDEPENDENCIA Y LIBERTAD.
I feel this coin, the 50 peso gold coin, and the silver Caballito are three of the most beautiful coins in the world. Just my opinion. I suggest you go to this link that will take you to the NGC photos of this coin from its registry number. They do a better job than I: https://www.ngccoin.com/certlookup/5868222-007/62/
Be sure to click on the photos to enlarge them. I hope you enjoy this blog. I love this coin and its design. Please feel free to comment. Thanks for looking.
SOURCES:
NGC
En.numista
Comments
Long Beard
Level 5
What a wife! Good taste and great eye. There are certain world gold coins you can not go wrong with, and this is one. A bit under graded in my opinion. An MS63?
coinsbygary
Level 5
What a cool coin and a lovely gift! Gold and great coinage designs have a strange attraction to me, and this coin meets that criteria. I hope you get the 50 pesos coin someday. I held one in my hand once. To feel the weight of that clunker in your hand is enough to give you a severe case of gold fever!
I. R. Bama
Level 5
Belated perhaps or not happy birthday. A beautiful coin for a well deserving friend!
Longstrider
Level 6
Thanks Bama. Never too late.
Mike
Level 7
This have to disagree. Your pictures bring out the details just as good. Your shots are the same and maybe better. I enlarged them and there great shots!
Longstrider
Level 6
Thanks.
Kepi
Level 6
This coin had your name written all over it! So happy it has a place in your collection! ; )
user_39492
Level 4
Beautiful coin to go with a nice blog, Happy birthday to you and your wife got you a very nice addition to your collection. Just started reading up on different foreign coins, but don't want to get overwhelmed so I'll stick to the Morgans and Lincoln cents at least until I learn more.
user_30405
Level 4
Happy birthday! Nice coin, do you live in/near Mexico, if not, how did you become interested in Mexican coins?
user_30405
Level 4
Nice, I live in SoCal and am thinking about starting on some Mexican coins, but I want to finish my Lincoln Cent collection (as far as I can get on a YN's budget) before I start a new collection.
Longstrider
Level 6
We live a few hours away but I have never bought a coin there. Just always liked their designs.
"SUN"
Level 6
It is great that you and your wife can share the hobby together. You two are a great couple.
Mal_ANA_YN
Level 5
A fascinating coin with real world history. Thanks for sharing.
Golfer
Level 5
Beautiful addition to your collection. Happy birthday. The personal story about how a coin found a home is always nice to read about.
Mike
Level 7
Happy Birthday my friend. Tell your wife when mine is!. Its beautiful and in great condition. The history is great. This is a great blog. A great coin and two great people. I like the Mexican coins. But I got caught up in other coins. The Libertards are also great coins. The four coin set is out. Beautiful designs on them. I still might buy them. Thanks for sharing this beauty with us. I hope there are more to come. Birthdays and coins!! My wife would buy a tie with a coin in it!! You are both very lucky!!