Mexico 1949-Mo onza

from the Mountain Groan Collection

This medallion, the first onza, was minted in Mexico City as a bullion piece at a moment when the Mexico City mint was not striking silver for circulation. The silver peso system set up in 1905 and modified in 1920 had collapsed in the inflation after World War Two. The only Mexican coin dated 1949 are a copper centavo (KM 415) and a base silver peso (KM 456), rare today because it was not released for circulation. In the 1950's, the mint resumed issuing silver by striking coins of ever higher denomination, such as this 1951 five pesos. The mint resumed the striking of onzas in 1980 and resurrected this design.

Recorded mintage: 1,000,000.

Specification: 33.62 g, 0.925 fine silver, 1.00 troy oz ASW, reeded edge.

Catalog reference: KM M49a.

Source:

• Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
• Buttrey, T. V., and Clyde Hubbard, A Guide Book of Mexican Coins, 1822 to date, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 1992.
• Harris, Robert P., A Guide Book of Modern Latin American Coins, Racine, WI: Whitman Publishing Co., 1966.
• Utberg, Neil S., The Coins of Mexico, 1536-1963, San Antonio, TX, 1963.

Link to:

• 1948 5 pesos
• 1949 centavo
• 1950 25 centavos
• 1951 5 pesos
• 1979 onza
• 1982 Libertad
• Coins and currency dated 1949
• return to Mexican coinage of the modern era, since 1905