The Mexico City mint, the oldest on the American continent, began coining operations during the year 1536, that is, eighty-four years before the Pilgrims landed on American soil, and two hundred and fifty-six years before the first United States mint was established.

Mexico, one of the greatest silver producing countries, has been the source of nearly one-half of the world's supply. Considering the meager population of the territory and the necessarily primitive methods employed both for mining and coining, the amount of silver produced is astoundingly large.

Conquered in 1521 by a handful of adventurous Spaniards under Cortes, the territory was named Nueva Espana (New Spain) and for three hundred years to a day, Spain ruled over this inconceivably wealthy province. On September 16, 1810, Hidalgo, a parish priest, led an open rebellion, which ended after eleven years of bloody conflict, with the overthrow of the Spanish yoke. Thus in 1821, New Spain ceased to exist, and Mexico took its place in the family of nations.

The coinage of New Spain and Mexico runs into billions, and their pieces of eight and pesos served as the standard medium of exchange in the United States, the Philippines, China, and many European markets. The first, or Continental currency of the United States of America, was made payable in Spanish milled dollars. The Mexican peso and its subdivisions were legal tender in this country until February 21, 1857, when by Act of Congress, all laws authorizing its circulation and acceptance were repealed. Up to June 30, 1862, the sum of $2,103,275.74 in Mexican coins had been accepted by the United States Federal offices.

The numismatic history of Mexico chronologically falls into seven periods:

1. The media of exchange used by the aborigines of the pre-conquest or pre-colonial epoch.
2. The colonial coinage, 1536 to 1821, of the Mexico City mint only. (The branch mints that sprang up from 1810 to 1821 were not authorized by the crown, and without doubt, would not have come into existence had it not been for the insurrection).
3. Coinage of the war of independence, 1810 to 1821, comprising the necessity, obsidional, or camp coinage issued by Insurgent as well as Royalist commanders, including that of the branch mints.
4. Coinage of Iturbide, or that of the first Mexican empire, 1822 to 1823.
5. Coinage of the republic, 1823 to date.
6. Coinage of Maximilian, or that of the second Mexican empire, 1864 to 1867.
7. Coinage of the civil war, 1913 to 1917, when considerable amounts of metallic currency were struck by the revolutionists, in addition to their large issues of paper money.

Mexico Proof & Mint Sets Mexico Uncirculated Coin Sets 1 Peso Coins 2 Peso Coins 5 Peso Coins 10 Peso Coins 20 Pesos Coins 25 Peso Coins 50 Peso Coins 100 Peso Coins 1000 Peso Coins 1 Centavo Coins 2 Centavos Coins 5 Centavos Coins

10 Centavos Coins 20 Centavos Coins 25 Centavos Coins 50 Centavos Coins 1/4 Real Coins 1/2 Real Coins 1 Real Coins 2 Reales Coins 8 Reales Coins 1 Oz. Silver Libertad Coins 1 Oz Silver Casa De Moneda Coins Pre Colombian 2 Pesos & 50 Pesos Silver Coins Pre Columbian 5 New Pesos & 100 Pesos Silver Coin Mexico 1/4 oz. Pre Columbian Silver Coins

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