Mexico 1973 5 centavos

from the Mountain Groan Collection

This specimen is one of a type issued by the Mexico City mint 1970-76. By the late 1950's, the Mexican peso had begun its inexorable slide. 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 five centavos is a reduced size version of the type struck 1954-69 (KM 426). All the dates, including the 1973 round top 3 and flat top 3, are common.

Recorded mintage: 595,070,000 (round top 3 and flat top 3).

Specification: 2.75 g, brass, 18 mm diameter.

Catalog reference: KM 427.

Source:

• 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:

• 1972 5 centavos, Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez
• 1973 centavo
• 1973 20 centavos, Teotihuacán
• 1973 5 pesos, Guadalupe Victoria
• 1974 5 centavos, Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez
• Coins and currency dated 1973
• return to Mexican coinage of the modern era, since 1905