Mexico 1956 50 centavos

from the Mountain Groan Collection

In the 1950's, the Mexican peso was continuing 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 type, issued 1955-59, features the bust of Cuauhtémoc, the last Aztec emperor. This bust first appeared on the five pesos of 1947-48. This fifty centavos was superseded by the copper-nickel type of 1964-83.

Recorded mintage: 34,643,000.

Specification: 14 g, bronze, 33 mm diameter, plain edge.

Catalog reference: KM 450.

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.
• 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.

Link to:

• 1955 50 centavos
• 1956 centavo
• 1956 5 pesos
• 1956 10 pesos
• 1957 50 centavos
• Coins and currency dated 1956
• return to Mexican coinage of the modern era, since 1905