1 Peso Silver 1961

The 1961 peso belongs to the last generation of Mexican pesos struck in silver for circulation. It carries a fineness of 0.720, weighs 15.98 grams and measures 34.5 millimeters, with a reeded edge. The reverse shows the bust of Jose Maria Morelos y Pavon, while the obverse displays the national coat of arms with the eagle devouring the serpent. It came from the Casa de Moneda de Mexico (the Mexican Mint), the same one that has backed our currency since the 16th century.

This piece is part of the series known among collectors as the "Peso Morelos," which was struck over several years with the face of the insurgent. The 1961 is one of the later issues, already carrying a reduced silver fineness compared to the pesos of earlier decades. It reflected a time when the precious metal was starting to weigh too heavily on the cost of producing circulating coinage, and it would not be long before the silver peso disappeared completely from our pockets.

For anyone building a collection of 20th century Mexican silver, the 1961 Morelos peso is a natural and affordable entry point. Its value is set mainly by condition and silver content: in low grades it trades close to the metal value, but an example with original luster and sharp detail in Morelos's hair and in the eagle's feathers rises in price noticeably. It is one of those coins that almost every collector ends up owning, and one worth seeking in good condition from the start.

Circulating Mexican peso coins of the second half of the 20th century were struck in alloys that changed according to metal costs and inflationary processes: .720 silver in $1, $5, $10, $25 denominations during the 40s-50s; cupronickel from the 70s on; aluminum bronze and stainless steel in the 80s; pieces with figures (Hidalgo, Cuauhtemoc, Juarez, Madero) in the late 80s just before the transition to Nuevos Pesos in 1992. 1961 corresponds to the period when this variant was in circulation.