Silver Half Ounce 1990 Libertad (Pattern), Coin from Mexico

Coin	Silver Half Ounce 1990 Libertad (Pattern)

La Casa de Moneda de México (the Mexican Mint) was established in 1535 and is the oldest mint in the Americas. Apart from manufacturing all the circulation coinage for Mexico, the mint also strikes coins in the internationally popular half ounce of silver format. The best known of these is the Libertad series of bullion coins, which has been issued in a number of sizes in gold since 1981 and in silver since 1982.

The silver half ounce (1/2 onza in Spanish) was added to the Libertad range in 1991. The obverse of the coin depicts the Coat of Arms of Mexico: a Mexican golden eagle perched on a prickly pear cactus, devouring a rattlesnake. The reverse design is based on the 1921 gold Centenario, a coin issued to mark the centennial of Mexican independence (Libertad means Liberty in Spanish); it depicts the winged Nike (Victory, or Victoria in Spanish) - the statue which tops The Angel of Independence monument in Mexico City (built in 1910); in the background the volcanoes Popocatépetl and Iztaccihuatl are seen.

Libertad coins do not have a fixed face value; they are accepted as currency and guaranteed by Banco de México based on the market value of their precious metal content (similarly to the South African Krugerrand).

This 1990-dated coin was a trial or pattern, and was not released; the first official release of a half-ounce of silver in the series was the next year.

Mint	Mexican Mint	Mint Mark	Mo	Mintage	unknown

Obverse

The obverse of the coin shows at its centre the Coat of Arms of Mexico, which depicts a Mexican (golden) eagle perched on a prickly pear cactus, facing left, devouring a rattlesnake. The cactus is on a pedestal immersed in the Aztec symbol for water. Below, a wreath of oak and laurel leaves tied at its centre with a ribbon representing the flag of Mexico.

The design is rooted in the legend that the Aztec people would know where to build their city once they saw an eagle eating a snake on top of a lake. To the people of Tenochtitlan (the pre-European capital), this symbol had strong religious connotations, and to the Europeans it came to symbolise the triumph of good over evil (with the snake sometimes representative of the serpent in the Garden of Eden).

Around above, the legend ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS, meaning United Mexican States in Spanish - which is the full official name of Mexico.

The border is toothed, with staggered sizes of the teeth.

Obverse Inscription	ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS

Reverse

The reverse of the coin shows at its centre the statue of Nike (the Greek goddess of Victory, in Spanish: Victoria) from the Angel of Independence monument in Mexico City - commonly known simply as The Angel. She is represented as a young bare-breasted winged woman holding a laurel wreath in her outstretched right hand, and a broken chain (a symbol of freedom) in her left hand. Visible below the figure is the pedestal which tops the monument.

The volcanoes Popocatépetl and Iztaccihuatl can be seen in the background.

In the left and right fields, divided by the figure of the angel, the inscription 1/2 ONZA PLATA PURA (one half of a troy ounce of pure silver).

Around below, 1990 MEXICO LEY .999 (ley .999 means 99.9% purity).

The Mo mint mark of the Mexican Mint (large letter M above which a small o) is in the lower right field.

The border is toothed, with staggered sizes of the teeth.

Reverse Inscription	1/2 ONZA PLATA PURA 1990 MEXICO LEY .999

Edge	Milled	Edge Inscription	None

Notes	The coin doesn't seem to be listed in Krause.

All (35) coins of type: Silver Half Ounce (1/2 oz)

Coin Name	Mintage	Symbol	Legend
Silver Half Ounce 1990 Libertad (Pattern)	unknown	Coat of Arms of Mexico	ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS
Silver Half Ounce 1991 Libertad	50,618	Coat of Arms of Mexico	ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS
Silver Half Ounce 1992 Libertad	102,800	Coat of Arms of Mexico	ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS
Silver Half Ounce 1993 Libertad	95,502	Coat of Arms of Mexico	ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS
Silver Half Ounce 1994 Libertad	95,102	Coat of Arms of Mexico	ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS
Silver Half Ounce 1995 Libertad	52,000	Coat of Arms of Mexico	ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS
Silver Half Ounce 1996 Libertad	51,000	Coat of Arms of Mexico	ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS
Silver Half Ounce 1997 Libertad	20,800	Coat of Arms of Mexico	ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS
Silver Half Ounce 1998 Libertad	8,900	Coat of Arms of Mexico	ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS
Silver Half Ounce 1999 Libertad	7,600	Coat of Arms of Mexico	ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS
Silver Half Ounce 2000 Libertad	20,700	Coat of Arms of Mexico	ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS
Silver Half Ounce 2001 Libertad	21,000	Coat of Arms of Mexico	ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS
Silver Half Ounce 2002 Libertad	37,800	Coat of Arms of Mexico	ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS
Silver Half Ounce 2003 Libertad	31,400	Coat of Arms of Mexico	ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS
Silver Half Ounce 2004 Libertad	22,500	Coat of Arms of Mexico	ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS
Silver Half Ounce 2005 Libertad	12,800	Coat of Arms of Mexico	ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS
Silver Half Ounce 2006 Libertad	17,900	Coat of Arms of Mexico	ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS
Silver Half Ounce 2007 Libertad	5,000	Coat of Arms of Mexico	ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS
Silver Half Ounce 2008 Libertad	11,500	Coat of Arms of Mexico	ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS
Silver Half Ounce 2009 Libertad	13,000	Coat of Arms of Mexico	ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS
Silver Half Ounce 2010 Libertad	25,000	Coat of Arms of Mexico	ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS
Silver Half Ounce 2011 Libertad	35,000	Coat of Arms of Mexico	ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS
Silver Half Ounce 2012 Libertad	17,000	Coat of Arms of Mexico	ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS
Silver Half Ounce 2013 Libertad	27,500	Coat of Arms of Mexico	ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS
Silver Half Ounce 2014 Libertad	24,750	Coat of Arms of Mexico	ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS
Silver Half Ounce 2015 Libertad	18,500	Coat of Arms of Mexico	ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS
Silver Half Ounce 2016 Libertad	44,050	Coat of Arms of Mexico	ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS
Silver Half Ounce 2017 Libertad	21,800	Coat of Arms of Mexico	ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS
Silver Half Ounce 2018 Libertad	22,500	Coat of Arms of Mexico	ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS
Silver Half Ounce 2019 Libertad	10,500	Coat of Arms of Mexico	ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS
Silver Half Ounce 2020 Libertad	9,600	Coat of Arms of Mexico	ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS
Silver Half Ounce 2021 Libertad	6,200	Coat of Arms of Mexico	ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS
Silver Half Ounce 2022 Libertad	6,805	Coat of Arms of Mexico	ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS
Silver Half Ounce 2023 Libertad	unknown	Coat of Arms of Mexico	ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS
Silver Half Ounce 2024 Libertad	unknown	Coat of Arms of Mexico	ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS

Advertising

Buy Silver Coins Online

My Collection

Please sign up and/or log in.

You will then be able to manage your collection and record whether you have or want this coin.

Silver Half Ounce 1990 Libertad (Pattern): Details

Country	Mexico
Currency	Mexican Peso (New)
Coin Type	Silver Half Ounce Libertad
Issued	1990
Symbol	Coat of Arms of Mexico
Face Value	(varies) (x Peso)
Mintage	unknown
Current	Yes
Material	0.999 Silver
Technology	Milled (machine-made)
Shape	Round
Orientation	Coin Alignment (Axis 6)
Size	33.0000 mm
Thickness	2.3500 mm
Mass	15.5517 g
OCC ID	DKLM-EMKC-XQZD-ENZB

Search Similar Coins to Buy (Affiliate Ad)

Search for Mexico: Silver Half Ounce 1990 Libertad (Pattern) on eBay

Advertising

Buy gold and silver bullion online!

Share or Bookmark this Page

Silver Half Ounce 1990 Libertad (Pattern): Photos

Image	Details
	½ Onza Libertad silver pattern coin 1990 Copyright: PCGS Source
	½ Onza Libertad silver pattern coin 1990 Copyright: PCGS Source

Silver Half Ounce 1990 Libertad (Pattern), Coin from Mexico - detailed information