Mexico 1981 1/4 onza
This specimen was lot 74883 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, February 2022), where it sold for $1,020. The catalog description[1] noted, "MEXICO. 1/4 Onza, 1981-Mo. Mexico City Mint. PCGS MS-68. Libertad Issue. Pop: 9, none graded finer by PCGS. A lovely, almost technically perfect bullion coin, with smooth silky luster and dark golden color." In 1949 the Mexico City mint issued the world's first silver onza to modest success. The krugerrand, a South African one ounce gold coin, was a marketing success in the 1970's and this medallion was introduced in 1981 to compete with it. Unlike the silver onza, which was very popular, this type was less successful, being issued in 1981-82 only before being redesigned in 1991.
Recorded mintage: 313,000.
Specification: 8.63 g, 0.900 fine gold.
Catalog reference: Fr-180; KM-487.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The February 2022 World Collectors Choice Online Auction - Ancients & World Coins, Featuring Selections from the Kings Norton Mint Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2022.
- 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.
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
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