1966 Mexican 10 Centavos (Copper): What It's Worth

If you found a 1966 Mexican 10 centavos coin, here is the honest answer: circulated, it's worth between 0.15 and 0.60 USD. Nearly 6 million were minted, so it isn't rare, and it has no silver. Only a pristine uncirculated piece with original red luster brings a small premium.

This is one of the most common coins people ask us about in 2026. It turns up in inherited jars and old drawers constantly. Below is what it actually is, why it isn't a windfall, and how to check yours.

What you actually have

This is a 10 centavos coin from the series Mexico struck between 1955 and 1967 (catalog reference KM 433). The reverse, the side most people photograph, shows the bust of Benito Juárez (a 19th-century Mexican president) facing left, with the legend DIEZ CENTAVOS, the mint mark Mo, and the year 1966. The obverse carries the Mexican national coat of arms with ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS (the official name of Mexico).

Key specs, exactly as issued:

• Metal: brass, 95 percent copper and 5 percent zinc
• Weight: 5.53 grams
• Diameter: 23.5 mm
• Edge: plain (smooth)
• Mintage: 5,873,000 pieces

Is it silver? No

There is no silver in this coin. It's a copper-zinc brass alloy, which is why it develops that reddish-brown tone over time. Its value comes from collector interest and condition, not from metal content. Do not sell it by weight thinking it's precious metal, because it isn't.

What it's worth

Because almost 6 million were made and millions survive, 1966 is not a key date. Here is the realistic value by condition:

The most sought-after dates in this series are the earliest ones, 1955 and 1956, not 1966. If yours is heavily worn, it's worth pocket change to a collector.

The most common mix-ups

Is this the "corn" coin? No. The corn cob 10 centavos (the one collectors call the "mazorca") started in 1974 and is much smaller, at 15 mm. Your 1966 piece is the earlier, larger type (23.5 mm) with the Juárez bust, not an ear of corn.

Does it have a valuable error? For this specific date there is no famous, documented error that pushes prices up. Coins that jump in value are generic mint-error cases (strong doubled dies, major off-center strikes, wrong planchets) that must be confirmed by a specialist before you assume anything. Don't count on it.

How to tell if yours is genuine

Check the measurements first. A real one measures 23.5 mm, weighs about 5.53 grams, and has a smooth edge. The reverse should show Juárez in profile facing left with DIEZ CENTAVOS, Mo, and 1966. The color is the reddish-brown of brass, never silvery. If in doubt, compare against catalog images on reference sites like Numista or uCoin.

Where to sell it

Since this is a common coin, a single circulated piece has low value and isn't worth listing on its own. You'll do better selling it in a lot with other centavos from the same era. To find dealers and shops, check the Pesoteca store directory, or see the rest of the type in our guide to Mexican centavos. If you have a full inherited jar, sort out the earlier dates (1955, 1956) first, since those are the ones worth pulling aside.

Got a 1966 that looks unusually bright or oddly struck? Post clear photos of both sides in the Pesoteca forum and we'll help you tell a normal piece from something worth a second look.

The circulating centavo coins in Mexico during the second half of the twentieth century were struck in alloys that changed with the cost of the metals: copper, bronze, and brass in the low denominations (1¢, 5¢, 20¢); cupronickel for the intermediate denominations (25¢, 50¢, late 10¢); and .720 silver for some 25¢ and 50¢ pieces in the 1950s. Each change of alloy generated a distinct variant of the same face value. 1966 corresponds to the period when this variant was in circulation, before the transition to Nuevos Pesos in 1992. The Mexico City Mint kept the basic design of the National Coat of Arms on the obverse and the numeric value on the reverse throughout this era.