Mexico 1975 20 centavos

Stack's Bowers November 2023 Collector's Choice sale, lot 72272

from the Mountain Groan Collection

The first specimen was lot 72272 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, November 2023), where it sold for $80. The catalog description^[1] noted, "MEXICO. Mint Error -- Struck 10% Off Center -- 20 Centavos, 1975-Mo. Mexico City Mint. PCGS MS-66. An intriguing mint error that is partially off-center, this example offers a good appeal and charm to any specialist in Mexican error coinage." 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. The twenty centavos, originally a silver coin, was by 1974 a slim copper-nickel coin. This type was struck until 1983; sharp eyed collectors have detected numerous varieties in the size of the date, doubled dies, oerdates, etc. None are rare. 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: 611,000,000.

Specification: 3 g, copper-nickel, 20 mm diameter, reeded edge.

Catalog reference: KM-442.

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.
• ^[1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, November 2023 World Collectors Choice Online Auction - Ancient & World Coins, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2023.

Link to:

• 1973 20 centavos, Teotihuacán
• 1974 20 centavos, Madero
• 1975 5 centavos, Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez
• 1975 10 centavos
• 1975 50 centavos, Cuauhtémoc
• 1975 peso, copper-nickel
• 1975 10 pesos
• 1976 20 centavos, Madero
• Coins and currency dated 1975
• return to Mexican coinage of the modern era, since 1905