1968 Mexico 20 Centavos (Copper): Value Guide

If you found a 1968 Mexican 20 centavos copper coin, here is the honest answer: in circulated condition it is worth well under one US dollar, essentially face-value-plus-metal. This is a common circulation coin, not a rarity. The only versions that bring a premium are those in top uncirculated grade, and even then we are talking a few dollars, not a fortune.

What this coin actually is

The 1968 20 centavos is a large copper coin from Mexico's pre-1992 peso era (before the currency was revalued and the older pieces became known as "old pesos"). It is not silver, and it never was. That matters because the number one question we get is "is it silver?" It is not. The metal is copper, so there is no precious-metal floor to hold up the price.

Specifications, kept exact:

• Denomination: 20 centavos
• Year: 1968
• Metal: Copper
• Weight: 9.95 grams
• Diameter: 28.5 mm
• Edge: Plain (smooth)
• Mint: Casa de Moneda de México (mint mark "Mo")

Obverse (front): The Mexican national coat of arms (the eagle on a cactus with a serpent) and the inscription "ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS," which is simply the official name of the country, the United Mexican States.

Reverse (back): The large face value "20" or "20 CENTAVOS," the date "1968," and the "Mo" mint mark.

What it is worth in 2026

Be realistic before you get excited. Mexico minted these copper 20 centavos coins in large numbers across the 1960s and 1970s, and millions still exist in drawers, jars, and inherited coin boxes on both sides of the border. Age alone does not make a coin valuable; a coin from 1968 that everyone kept is not rare.

Value here comes down almost entirely to one thing: condition (grade).

Those top-end figures apply only to coins that a grading service has certified in high mint state. A random 1968 20 centavos pulled from a coffee can almost always lands in the first row of that table.

The myth: "it's old, so it's worth money"

This is the belief we correct most often. Old does not mean rare, and rare does not mean valuable unless collectors actually want it. The 1968 20 centavos fails the rarity test because it was mass-produced and widely saved. A common coin in worn shape has one honest home: your pocket-change jar or a bulk lot.

Where real money shows up is genuine mint errors. Off-center strikes, die rotation, doubled dies, and verifiable die varieties can multiply the value of any circulation coin, this one included. The catch: most "errors" people post online are post-mint damage, meaning dents, scratches, and corrosion that happened after the coin left the mint. That is not an error and it lowers value rather than raising it. If you think you have a true striking error, get eyes on it before you assume anything.

How to tell if yours is genuine

Counterfeits of a low-value copper coin are rare because there is no profit in faking it, but it is still worth a two-minute check:

1. Weigh it. A genuine piece is 9.95 grams. Use a jewelry or kitchen scale.
2. Measure it. Diameter should be 28.5 mm. A caliper is ideal.
3. Look at the strike. Real coins have crisp relief and even copper color. Fakes tend to show flat detail, mushy lettering, or blotchy color.

If the weight or diameter is off, or the design looks soft and washed out, be cautious.

Where to sell or appraise it

Because the typical value is small, keep your effort proportional. Options that make sense:

• A verified numismatic shop from the Pesoteca dealer directory will grade it on the spot and give you a fair number without middleman markup.
• The Pesoteca buy-and-sell forum connects you directly with collectors, which is your best shot at a premium if the coin is uncirculated or a possible error.
• For a common circulated piece, it is often not worth mailing off for professional grading, since the certification fee can exceed the coin's value.

Before you sell, photograph the obverse, reverse, and edge in good light, and compare your coin against the grade ranges above. To pin down your coin's condition, use our coin grading guide.

Think you might have an off-center strike or a doubled die on your 1968 20 centavos? Post clear photos on the Pesoteca forum and let the community confirm whether it is a real error or just wear.

The centavo coins circulating in Mexico during the second half of the 20th century were minted in alloys that changed according to the cost of metals: copper, bronze and brass in low denominations (1¢, 5¢, 20¢); cupronickel for intermediate denominations (25¢, 50¢, late 10¢); and .720 silver for some 25¢ and 50¢ pieces in the 1950s. Each change of alloy produced a distinct variant of the same face value. 1968 corresponds to the period when this variant was in circulation, before the transition to Nuevos Pesos in 1992. The Mexican Mint kept the basic design of the National Coat of Arms on the obverse and the numeric value on the reverse throughout this era.