Mexico 1975 50 centavos
The first specimen was lot 47273 in Stack's Bowers ANA sale (Chicago, August 2024), where it sold for $85. The catalog description[1] noted, "MEXICO. Mint Error -- Struck 15% Off-Center -- 50 Centavos, 1975-Mo. Mexico City Mint. NGC MS-67." 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. This example would be worthless were it not for the combination of the error and the high grade. Most mint errors are nicked and scratched by the process that made them errors to begin with.
Recorded mintage: 177,958,000.
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.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, August 2024 Global Showcase Auction, World & Ancient Coins, featuring The Emilio M. Ortiz Collection, The Richard Margolis Collection and The Rutherford Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2024.
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