1/20 oz Gold Libertad 2017: Value & Mintage

If you inherited or found a tiny gold Mexican coin with a winged angel on it, you likely have a 1/20 oz Gold Libertad. The 2017 version is worth more than its gold alone: with only 1,738 coins minted, it trades above melt value, and a graded example in top condition can pull a real premium among collectors.

What is a Gold Libertad?

The Libertad (Spanish for "Liberty") is the flagship coin of the Mexican Mint (Casa de Moneda de México), one of the oldest mints in the Americas. The design shows the Winged Victory statue (Ángel de la Independencia) on the front, with the Mexican coat of arms surrounded by historic emblems on the back. It is issued in silver and gold, in several sizes.

The 1/20 ounce is the smallest gold size in the family. It exists so collectors can start a set without paying for a full ounce of gold. That makes it the entry point to the gold series, and, ironically, one of the hardest sizes to find when someone wants a complete year set.

The 2017 specs that matter

Spec	Detail
Metal	Gold, .999 fine
Weight	1.5552 grams (1/20 troy ounce)
Diameter	13 mm
Edge	Reeded
Year	2017
Mintage	1,738 coins
Mint	Casa de Moneda de México

The number that drives value is the mintage of 1,738 pieces for the entire year. That is a short run, which is what turns the small fraction into the tough coin to complete a year set.

What is it actually worth in 2026?

Start with the floor. This coin contains 1.5552 grams of pure gold, so its melt value tracks the gold price. As a bullion floor, that puts the base value in the low-to-mid three figures in USD, moving with the spot price of gold. You will never sell it for less than the metal is worth.

Above that floor, the premium depends on two things:

• Condition. On a coin this small, any scratch or rub is obvious. A piece kept in its original capsule in Proof or BU (Brilliant Uncirculated) condition holds a real premium over a handled one.
• Grade. A coin certified by NGC or PCGS in a high grade sells for noticeably more than a raw, ungraded example, because the buyer trusts the authenticity and condition without inspecting it in person.

With a mintage under 2,000, a certified high-grade 2017 1/20 oz can trade at a solid multiple over melt. For year-set collectors, this is the size worth locking in early, because it is the one that goes missing from complete sets.

How to tell if yours is genuine

Gold fakes exist, and a small coin is easy to counterfeit. Two quick checks catch most of them:

1. Weigh it. Use a jewelry scale. It must be very close to 1.5552 grams. Gold is dense; fakes made of cheaper metal usually miss the weight.
2. Measure the diameter. It should be 13 mm. A caliper reading that is off is a red flag.

Beyond that, check for flat relief, uneven color, or blurry detail. Any offer priced well below the value of the gold content is a warning sign, not a bargain. For real certainty, send it to a grading service; a certified slab settles the authenticity question for good.

Where to sell it

Because this is a precious-metal coin, sell where you can verify the piece and the price:

• A verified coin shop from the Pesoteca directory that appraises it on the spot.
• The Pesoteca buy-and-sell forum among collectors who know the series.

Photograph the front, back, and edge, and check the value range in this listing before you sell. Avoid dumping it to the first bidder on social media, and never sell to anyone who won't let you confirm the weight and condition first. If you want to build the full gold Libertad set instead, this is the size to grab while you can.

Got a 2017 1/20 oz Libertad sitting in a drawer? Post clear photos in the Pesoteca forum and let the community confirm the grade before you decide to keep or sell it.

This piece is a 1/20-ounce gold Onza Libertad struck in 2017 in the regular finish (bullion satin). The series was created by the DOF decree of April 8, 1981, and added the 1/2, 1/4, 1/10, and 1/20 fractions starting in 1991.

Enrique Peña Nieto. The September earthquakes in Mexico and the initial renegotiation of NAFTA. Gold spot closed at 1,296 dollars per ounce and the FIX at 19.66 pesos.

Fraction: pure gold 1.555 grams, .999 fineness, total weight 1.73 grams, diameter 20 millimeters. The 1/20 is the smallest fraction and the gateway to physical gold. It began to be minted in 1991. Premium over spot 15 to 25 percent, the highest of the family.

Regular (bullion satin): matte-brilliance fields and satin relief, a single press strike. Wholesale distribution for physical gold investment, the highest mintage of the year and the natural premium reference against spot.

Banxico CM10 (consulted 2026-05-27) records 1,738 pieces against 925 pieces in the Proof version of the same year. The differential explains the price premium between variants.

The regular is bought for its gold content with a low premium over spot. Verify weight, diameter, and reeded edge; compare the premium against Banxico Direct before accepting a middleman.