Mexico 1957 peso KM-458
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. The peso, originally a large silver coin (KM 453), progressively shrank (see the 1943 peso) until this design appeared in 1957, containing 1/15th of the silver in the 1914 issue. The succeeding type (KM 460) contained no silver at all. The portrait is of Benito Juarez, hero of the struggle against the French intervention (1862-67).
Recorded mintage: 500,000 plus 28,273,000 of the Hidalgo type (KM 459).
Specification: 16 g, .100 fine silver, .051 troy oz ASW, 34.5 mm diameter, edge lettered INDEPENDENCIA Y LIBERTAD.
Catalog reference: KM 459.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- Buttrey, T. V., and Clyde Hubbard, A Guide Book of Mexican Coins, 1822 to date, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 1992.
- Harris, Robert P., A Guide Book of Modern Latin American Coins, Racine, WI: Whitman Publishing Co., 1966.
- Utberg, Neil S., The Coins of Mexico, 1536-1963, San Antonio, TX, 1963.
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