Libertad (coin)

The Libertad coins are silver and gold bullion coins originating from Mexico and minted by the La Casa de Moneda de México (Mexican Mint). The Mexican Mint was established in 1535 and is the oldest mint in the Americas. The modern coins contain 99.9% silver or gold (.999 fineness) and are available in various sizes. Both metal coins have undergone a design change. In 1989, 3,500 14 ounce Libertad platinum coins were produced. Libertads are devoid of face value, yet are still accepted as currency and guaranteed by Banco de México based on the market value of its gold or silver content.

Silver Libertad
Mexico
Mass31.1 g (1.0 troy oz)
Diameter40 mm (1.58 in)
Thickness3.0 mm (0.12 in)
EdgeReeded
Composition99.9% Ag
Years of minting1982-present
Obverse
DesignCoat of arms of Mexico with 10 past versions of this symbol surrounding it.
Design1982-1999 version showing the coat of arms of Mexico
Reverse
DesignThree-quarter side view of the Angel of Independence with the volcanoes Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl in the background
Design1982-1995 version showing frontal view of the Angel of Independence with the volcanoes Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl

In addition to the bullion version, a proof and reverse proof versions for both metals are manufactured specifically for collectors. Proof coins contain a frosted angel with a polished background. A reverse proof is the opposite and has a polished angel with a frosted background. An antique finish is available in silver and is also sought out by collectors. An antique finish gives coins an aged appearance without any loss of detail. The antiqued finish usually displays portions that look as if they have toned darker. Proof and antique finish coins are minted in relatively small quantities and are considered more beautiful and valuable than the standard bullion coin.

Design

Obverse: The Coat of arms of Mexico is shown with a Mexican golden eagle perched on a prickly pear cactus devouring a rattlesnake. This imagery relates to the founding of Tenochtitlan, present-day Mexico City. The coat of arms is rooted in the legend where the god Huitzilopochtli told the Aztec people where to build their city where they saw an eagle eating a snake on top of a cactus.[1] The bottom half of the coat of arms has oak and laurel leaves encircling the eagle. The top half has the words Estados Unidos Mexicanos (United Mexican States) encircling the eagle. The gold obverse has not changed since its inception and the silver coin had the same obverse at its inception. In 2000, the silver obverse was changed to depict the current Mexican national coat of arms along with 10 past versions of this symbol surrounding it. The Spanish inscription ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS still surrounds the central coat of arms.[2] The past version of the symbol at the top is found in the Codex Mendoza from 1524.

Reverse: The design used was based on the 1921 gold Centenario, a coin issued to mark the centennial of Mexican independence. The winged Victoria of Angel of Independence is in front with the volcanoes Popocatépetl and Iztaccihuatl in the background. The weight (ONZA or ounce), date, and purity are also listed. The older Libertad coins show a front-facing view of the angel. The new Libertad series shows a three-quarter side profile of the angel. The gold used the older angel from 1981 through 1999. The silver used the older angel from 1982 through 1995.[2]

Specifications

Gold coins have not changed sizes since first minted. From 1982 through 1995, the one, 12, and 14 ounce silver coins had slightly smaller diameters and bigger thicknesses than current minted coins. From 1981 through 1990, the gold coins contained 90% gold (.90 fineness). The gold coins since 1991 and all silver coins have contained 99.9% silver or gold. (.999 fineness).[3][4]

Current specifications[3][5]
Composition Weight
(troy oz)
Weight
(grams)
Diameter
(mm)
Thickness
(mm)
Silver 32.15 1000 110 11.5
5 155.5 65 5.4
2 62.2 48 4.5
1 31.1 40 3.0
12 15.56 33 2.35
14 7.8 27 1.7
110 3.11 20 1.4
120 1.56 16 1.0
Gold 1 31.1 34.5 2.5
12 15.56 29 1.8
14 7.8 23 1.3
110 3.1 16 1.3
120 1.56 13 .65

Silver mintage

Mintage of silver uncirculated coins[6][7]
Year 120 oz 110 oz 14 oz 12 oz 1 oz 2 oz 5 oz 1 kg
1982 1,049,680
1983 1,001,768
1984 1,014,000
1985 2,017,000
1986 1,699,426
1987 500,000
1988 1,500,500
1989 1,396,500
1990 1,200,000
1991 50,017 50,017 50,017 50,618 1,650,518
1992 295,783 299,933 104,000 119,000 2,458,000
1993 100,000 100,000 90,500 90,500 1,000,000
1994 90,100 90,100 90,100 90,100 400,000
1995 50,000 50,000 50,000 50,000 500,000
1996 50,000 50,000 50,000 50,000 280,001 50,000 20,000
1997 20,000 20,000 20,000 20,000 119,999 15,000 10,000
1998 6,400 6,400 6,400 6,400 67,000 7,000 3,500
1999 8,001 8,000 7,000 7,000 95,000 5,000 2,800
2000 57,500 27,500 21,000 20,000 396,400 7,500 4,000
2001 25,000 25,000 25,000 20,000 768,600 6,700 4,000
2002 45,000 35,000 35,000 35,000 955,000 8,700 5,200 1,820(pl)
2003 50,000 20,000 22,000 28,000 678,869 9,500 6,000 1,514(pl)
2004 30,000 15,000 15,000 20,000 560,412 8,000 3,923 1,501(pl)
2005 15,000 9,277 15,000 10,000 600,007 3,549 2,401 500(pl)
2006 20,000 15,000 15,000 15,000 300,000 5,800 3,000 874(pl)
2007 3,500 3,500 3,500 3,500 200,000 8,000 3,000 700(pl)
2008 7,000 10,000 9,000 9,000 950,000 17,000 9,000 2,003

1,700(pl)

2009 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 1,650,000 46,000 21,000 4,000

1,700(pl)

2010 12,000 12,000 15,500 20,000 1,000,000 14,000 9,500 4,000

1,500(pl)

2011 15,000 15,000 15,000 30,000 1,200,000 14,000 10,000 6,000

1,000(pl)

2012 0 3,300 16,700 17,000 746,400 18,600 10,400 2,300

500(pl)

2013 13,500 18,900 9,600 24,500 774,100 17,400 9,500 400(pl)
2014 5,700 6,350 6,950 23,000 429,200 9,000 6,400 500(pl)
2015 18,400 19,900 17,900 16,000 903,000 20,100 9,500 2,000

500(pl)

2016 22,900 24,400 17,700 30,900 1,437,500 17,600 11,400 2,000

800(pl)

2017 8,550 8,850 8,100 9,050 636,000 8,900 5,050 200

500(pl)

1,000(ehrpl)

2018 17,900 20,300 18,000 15,500 300,000 20,400 16,600 500

1,000(pl)

2019 7,350 7,200 5,450 8,500 402,000 18,300 18,000 200

500(pl)

2020 5,450 6,100 4,450 7,600 300,000 5,500 8,900 500

250(pl)

Silver proof mintage

Reverse proof Libertad
Antique finish Libertad

(p) Proof
(rp) Reverse proof
(af) Antique finish

Mintage of silver proof coinage[8][7][9]
Year 120 oz 110 oz 14 oz 12 oz 1 oz 2 oz 5 oz
1983 998
1986 30,006
1987 12,000
1988 10,000
1989 10,000
1990 10,000
1991 10,000
1992 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 10,000
1993 5,002 5,002 5,002 5,002 5,002
1994 5,002 5,002 5,002 5,002 5,002
1995 2,000 2,000 2,000 2,000 2,000
1996 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 2,000 1,200 1,200
1997 800 800 800 800 1,500 1,300 1,300
1998 300 300 300 2,500 500 400 400
1999 600 600 600 600 600 280 100
2000 900 1,000 700 700 1,600 500 500
2001 1,500 1,500 1,000 1,000 2,000 500 600
2002 2,800 2,800 2,800 2,800 3,800 1,000 1,000
2003 4,400 4,900 3,900 3,400 5,400 800 1,500
2004 2,700 2,500 2,500 2,500 3,000 1,000 800
2005 2,600 3,000 2,400 2,800 3,300 600 1,000
2006 3,300 3,000 2,900 2,900 4,000 1,100 700
2007 4,000 4,000 3,000 1,500 5,800 500 500
2008 3,300 5,000 2,900 2,500 11,000 1,000 900
2009 5,000 5,000 3,000 3,000 10,000 6,200 5,000
2010 10,000 10,000 5,000 5,000 10,000 1,300 2,000
2011 10,000 10,000 5,000 5,000 10,000 1,000 2,000
2012 4,200
2013 4,200 4,100 3,200 3,000 9,100 1,300 1,600
2014 1,850 1,950 1,700 1,750 4,700 750 800
2015 5,500 5,300 2,400 2,500 6,400 (p) 1,300 1,600
1,500 (rp)
2016 12,550 12,650 9,550 13,150 13,250 (p) 3,950 2,750
1,500 (rp)
2017 9,050 7,850 4,850 12,750 8,650 (p) 3,050 (p) 2,350 (p)
1,050 (rp) 2,000 (rp) 2,000 (rp)
2018 7,900 6,500 5,000 7,000 10,000 (p) 5,000 (p) 5,000 (p)
1,500 (rp) 2,100 (rp) 2,100 (rp)
40,000 (af) 2,000 (af) 2,000 (af)
2019 3,000 3,600 2,850 2,000 5,500 (p) 2,750 (p) 2,500 (p)
1,000 (rp) 1,000 (rp) 1,000 (rp)
1,000 (af) 1,000 (af) 1,000 (af)
2020 2,800 3,450 2,700 2,000 5,850 (p) 2,800 (p) 2,950 (p)

Gold mintage

Gold Libertad
Mexico
Mass31.1 g (1.0 troy oz)
Diameter34.5 mm (1.36 in)
Thickness2.5 mm (0.099 in)
Composition99.9% Au
Years of minting1981-present
Obverse
DesignCoat of arms of Mexico
Reverse
DesignThree-quarter side view of the Angel of Independence with the volcanoes Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl in the background
Mintage of gold uncirculated coins[6][7][10]
Year 120 oz 110 oz 14 oz 12 oz 1 oz
1981 313,000 193,000 596,000
1991 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 109,193
1992 65,225 50,777 28,106 25,220 46,281
1993 10,000 10,000 2,500 2,500 73,881
1994 10,000 10,000 2,500 2,500 1,000
2000 5,300 3,500 2,500 1,500 2,730
2002 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 15,000
2003 800 300 300 300 500
2004 4,000 2,000 1,500 500 3,000
2005 3,200 500 500 500 3,000
2006 3,000 2,500 1,500 500 4,000
2007 1,200 1,200 500 500 2,500
2008 800 2,500 800 300 800
2009 2,000 9,000 3,000 3,000 6,200
2010 1,500 4,500 1,500 1,500 4,000
2011 2,500 6,500 1,500 1,500 3,000
2012 2,500 6,500 1,500 1,500 3,000
2013 650 2,150 750 450 2,350
2014 1,050 2,450 1,000 1,000 4,050
2015 1,300 4,100 1,300 1,100 4,800
2016 2,900 3,800 1,000 1,200 4,100
2017 1,000 300 500 700 900
2018 2,500 1,500 1,250 1,250 2,050
2019 1,500 1,250 1,500 1,500 2,000
2020 700 700 700 700 1,100

Gold proof mintage

(p) Proof
(rp) Reverse proof

Mintage of gold proof coinage[6][7][10]
Year 120 oz 110 oz 14 oz 12 oz 1 oz
1983 88
1989 704
2004 1,000
2005 400 400 2,600 400 250
2006 520 520 2,120 520 520
2007 500 500 1,500 500 500
2008 500 500 800 500 500
2009 600 600 1,700 600 600
2010 600 600 1,000 600 600
2011 1,100 1,100 2,000 1,100 1,100
2012
2013 300 300 600 300 400
2014 250 250 350 250 250
2015 500 500 500 500 500
2016 2,100 2,100 2,100 2,100 2,100
2017 600 1,500 1,500 700 600
2018 1,000 1,500 1,000 1,000 (p) 1,000 (p)
1,000 (rp) 1,000 (rp)
2019 1,000 1,000 800 650 (p) 750 (p)
500 (rp) 500 (rp)
2020 250 250 250 250 (p) 250 (p)
250 (rp) 250 (rp)

See also

References

  1. Minahan, James B. (2009). The Complete Guide to National Symbols and Emblems. ABC-CLIO. p. 718. ISBN 9780313344978.
  2. "Libertad Design is Not Likely to Change". Coin Week. 30 October 2018. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  3. "Currency" (in Spanish). Government of Mexico. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
  4. "Libertad series silver" (in Spanish). Bank of Mexico. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  5. "Mexican Silver "Libertad"". Goldadvert. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  6. 2020 Standard Catalog of World Coins - 1901–2000 (47th ed.). Krause Publications. 2019. ISBN 978-1-4402-4896-2.
  7. 2020 Standard Catalog of World Coins - 2001–Date (14th ed.). Krause Publications. 2019. ISBN 978-1-4402-4897-9.
  8. "Silver coins" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 5 December 2013. Retrieved 25 December 2010..
  9. Golino, Louis (12 March 2019). "Libertad Coin Series 2019 Programs Surprises". Coin Update. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  10. http://donbailey-mexico.com/libertad_mintages.shtml
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