Among the most popular annual bullion releases is the Mexican Libertad Gold Coin from the Mexican Mint. The official gold bullion coin of Mexico continues to fascinate collectors and investors with its design, purity, and unique special editions available. Learn more about this well-known coin program, right here at Provident Metals.
The Mexican Mint created the Centenario coin in 1921 to honor the 100th anniversary of Mexico’s independence from Spain. This gold bullion coin had a face value of 50 pesos and was minted annually up until 1931. These coins also featured a unique design of Winged Victory on the obverse. This design would serve as the basis for the mint’s next bullion coin, the Libertad.
While the Mexican Libertad Silver Coin debuted in 1982 and has been released every year since the gold coin program has a much different story. The Mexican Mint released a 1 oz, 1/2 oz, and 1/4 oz gold coin back in 1981 with each coin having a mintage north of 100,000.
The Mexican Mint returned in 1991 releasing a 1 oz coin and four fractional ounce weights. The fractional-ounce coins were given strict limits while the 1 oz coin was struck to meet demand. Production of these five coins continued until 1994. A halt in production forced a stoppage from 1995 to 1999. The coin program made a one-year comeback in 2000, then again in 2002 with them being released annually ever since.
These coins are a little more unique than other annual bullion releases as they technically don’t have a face value. However, they are still accepted as currency as they’re backed by Banco de México based on the market value of the gold content in the coin.
The design of both fields for the most part has remained largely the same since the inception of the coin program in 1981. However, some changes have been made over time with 1 oz coins also differing then their smaller counterparts.
The series debuted with a 1 oz, 1/2 oz, and 1/4 oz coin in 1981. For the second year of release in 1991, a 1/10 oz and a 1/20 oz coin were added to the program. These sizes have been available every year since, with the exception of 2012 when just a 1 oz coin was available. Every size available has a purity of at least .999 pure gold. Notably, these coins have no face value but are backed due to their gold content.
The Mexican Mint released a proof 1 oz coin in 1983. This release had a mintage of just 88. In 1989, a 1/2 oz proof coin with a mintage of 704 debuted. In 2004, the Mexican Mint released a proof coin for the Libertad in all five sizes. These have been released annually ever since. Proof coins serve as more of a collector’s item as they have frosted design elements with a mirrored background.
The Mexican Mint released a 1 oz and a 1/2 oz reverse proof coin in 2018. These coins have a frosted background with a mirrored effect on the design elements, such as on Winged Victory. These coins have been released annually ever since in just the two available sizes.
For any questions that may come up about Mexican Libertad Gold Coins, give the Provident Metals team a call at 800-313-3315. Our team can also be contacted via email or through our online chat feature. Don’t hesitate to reach out with any inquiries you may have.