Mexico 1971 50 centavos
By the early 1970's, the Mexican economy was running into trouble. Political mismanagement, corruption, an antiquated tax structure were feeding inflation. Coin types, once stable in the early part of the century, began turning over more rapidly as inflation ate away their purchasing power. While this gave employment to coin designers and engravers, it limited their scope of action as progressively cheaper alloys were adopted. This type, introduced in 1964 and struck in several variations until 1983, features the bust of Cuauhtémoc, the last Aztec emperor. This bust first appeared on the five pesos of 1947-48. This fifty centavos was popular in the United States as it would pass as a quarter in vending machines tho worth much less.
Recorded mintage: 125,288,000.
Specification: 6.5 g, copper nickel, 25 mm diameter, reeded edge.
Catalog reference: KM 452.
- Amaya Guerra, Carlos Abel, Epitome Ilustrado de la Moneda Mexican Moderna, 1905 a 2015, Monterrey, Mexico, 2015.
- Bailey, Don and Lois, Whitman Encyclopedia of Mexican Money, Volume 1, An Illustrated History of Mexican Coins and Currency, Atlanta: Whitman Publishing, 2014.
- Buttrey, T. V., and Clyde Hubbard, A Guide Book of Mexican Coins, 1822 to date, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 1992.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
Link to:
- 1970 50 centavos, Cuauhtémoc
- 1971 5 centavos, Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez
- 1971 20 centavos, Teotihuacán
- 1971 peso, copper-nickel
- 1971 5 pesos, Guadalupe Victoria
- 1972 centavo
- 1972 50 centavos, Cuauhtémoc
- 1972 5 pesos
- Coins and currency dated 1971
- return to Mexican coinage of the modern era, since 1905