1/20 oz Silver Libertad (1995): Value & Prices

The 1995 1/20 oz Silver Libertad is worth a few dollars in most conditions, close to its tiny silver melt value, with high-grade or certified examples pulling more from collectors. It is real .999 silver, but at 1.55515 grams it holds only a fraction of one troy ounce of metal. Here is what actually drives its value in 2026.

What you actually have

The Libertad is Mexico's flagship silver bullion series, minted by the Casa de Moneda de México (the Mexican Mint). This is the smallest fraction in the line: one twentieth of a troy ounce. The reverse shows the Winged Victory (the angel from Mexico City's Independence monument) with the Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl volcanoes behind her. The obverse carries the Mexican coat of arms.

Key specs, exact as struck:

• Metal: .999 fine silver (pure silver)
• Weight: 1.55515 grams (1/20 troy ounce)
• Diameter: 16 mm
• Edge: reeded

The 1995 coin belongs to the 1982-1995 die type that Mexican collectors nickname the "cuño gordita" (the "chubby die"). It is slightly smaller in diameter and thicker than the modern version used from 1996 onward. The 1/20 oz denomination was added to the series in 1991, when the Bank of Mexico expanded its bullion line with smaller fractions.

How much is it worth

Be realistic about the metal first. At 1/20 of an ounce, this coin contains about 0.05 troy ounce of pure silver. Its melt value tracks the silver spot price and is small: a fraction of what a full 1 oz Libertad holds. That melt value is the floor. The coin will rarely trade below it.

Where the coin earns more than melt:

• Circulated or handled examples: typically a few dollars, close to melt plus a small collector premium.
• Uncirculated (BU): more demand from set builders who want the full run of fractional Libertads. A modest premium over melt.
• Certified high grade (NGC/PCGS MS-69 or MS-70): this is where a common date can jump. Third-party certification and a top grade can push a small fractional Libertad well past melt, sometimes into the tens of dollars, because collectors of the series compete for flawless fractions.

Mintages for this era are not published by year. The Bank of Mexico only released official yearly figures starting in 2000, so no verified 1995 mintage exists for this fraction. That means condition and certification, not a confirmed rarity number, decide the premium.

Coin	Year	Metal	Typical range (USD)
1/20 oz Silver Libertad	1995	.999 silver, 1.55 g	Melt to a few dollars (circulated / BU)
1/20 oz Silver Libertad	1995	Certified MS-69/70	Higher premium, into the tens of dollars

For the larger and more heavily traded pieces in the same family, see our guides to the 1 oz Silver Libertad and the gold Centenario, the two pieces most US readers actually confuse with something rare.

The myth to drop

A small silver coin from the 1990s is not a fortune. The Libertad is a bullion series produced for investors and collectors, not a scarce antique. Its value comes from silver content and, in top grades, from collector demand for a complete set. If someone tells you a common-date 1995 fraction is worth hundreds of dollars ungraded, treat that as a red flag, not a windfall.

How to check what yours is worth

1. Weigh and measure it. A jewelry scale should read 1.55515 grams and a caliper should read 16 mm. Off weight or off diameter is the first sign of a fake or a different denomination.
2. Grade the surfaces. Scratches, cleaning marks, and toning drop the value. A clean, original, unhandled coin is worth the premium.
3. Consider certification. For a common date, grading only pays off if the coin is genuinely top-tier (MS-69/70). Below that, grading fees eat the premium.
4. Compare to melt. Multiply 0.05 troy ounce by the current silver spot price. Any honest buyer starts near that number for a circulated piece.

Where to sell (and buy)

Sell to a verified numismatic dealer from the Pesoteca shop directory, who will value it on the spot, or list it in the Pesoteca buy-sell forum among collectors. Photograph the obverse, reverse, and edge in good light before you sell. Since this is a precious-metal coin, only buy from someone who shows you the piece and its weight, and verify before you pay. Skip dumping it on social media to the first bidder.

Think you have a full set of fractional Libertads or a possible mint error? Post your photos in the Pesoteca forum and let the community weigh in before you sell.

1/20 troy oz Libertad silver 1995 Regular BU

This piece is the 1/20 troy oz silver Libertad, struck by the Mexican Mint in 1995 in its Regular BU version.

Technical data. It contains 1.55 g of pure silver at .999 fineness and measures 16 mm in diameter. The reverse bears the effigy of the Angel of Independence, adopted by Banxico as the official symbol of the series since 1981. The obverse shows the National Coat of Arms in its pre-1969 version, along with other historical coats of arms as an identity mark of the family.

Role within the set. It is the smallest fraction of the set. It serves as a starter piece, a gift, or a first contact with the series: it costs little per coin but carries the highest premium in the family over the value of the silver it contains, because the die cost is spread across fewer grams.

Context of the year. In 1995 Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de León was in office. The tequila crisis caused GDP to fall 6.2%. Demand for safe-haven metals rose and with it interest in the Onza.

Regular BU finish. The Regular finish, cataloged by Banxico as satin or BU, is achieved with dies that receive no special polishing. The result is an even matte shine across the whole surface, with no mirror contrast between fields and relief. It is the traditional bullion finish: it is bought for its weight in pure silver plus a modest die premium. It is the version collectors seek to build the complete year set without decapitalizing on each piece.

Mintage. The exact mintage of this combination does not appear in the Bank of Mexico's public 2000-2025 tables. For pieces outside that range one must consult the specific Mint catalog.