Mexico 1988 500 pesos
By the early 1980's, the Mexican economy was running into trouble. Political mismanagement, corruption, an antiquated tax structure and an exploding population were feeding serious 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 five hundred pesos was introduced in 1985 as a gold coin commemorating the World Cup, then reduced to copper-nickel in 1986 and a portrait of Francisco Madero adopted. This type was issued without change until 1992, the year of the reform. Madero, a hero of the revolution of 1910-14, also appears on the twenty-five centavos of 1964-66 (KM 444) and the twenty centavos of 1974-83 (KM 442). The circulation coinage of the 1980's is also notable for being the first coinage to feature the denomination in Braille, altho the effect is only symbolic, as the dots are too small to be useful.
Recorded mintage: 230,000,000.
Specification: copper-nickel, 28.5 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: KM 529.
- 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:
- 1987 500 pesos, Francisco Madero
- 1988 5 pesos, brass
- 1988 10 pesos, Miguel Hidalgo
- 1988 20 pesos, Guadalupe Victoria
- 1988 50 pesos, Benito Juarez
- 1988 50 pesos, ½ oz silver, 50th anniversary of the nationalization of the oil industry
- 1988 100 pesos, 50th anniversary of the nationalization of the oil industry
- 1988 100 pesos, Carranza
- 1988 500 pesos, bimetallic pattern
- 1988 500 pesos, 50th anniversary of the nationalization of the oil industry
- 1988 1,000 pesos, Sor Juana de Asbaje
- 1988 1000 pesos, 1 oz gold, 50th anniversary of the nationalization of oil industry
- 1988 onza
- Coins and currency dated 1988
- return to Mexican coinage of the modern era, since 1905