Benito Juárez Medal. Centennial of His Birth (1906)

In 1906 Mexico commemorated the centennial of the birth of Benito Juárez, a hundred years since the 1806 birth of the great liberal president, a symbol of the Reform and of the resistance against the French intervention. It was one of the great civic celebrations of the Porfiriato.

This bronze medal bears the effigy of Juárez and was struck for those festivities. The regime of Porfirio Díaz tied its own image to that of Juárez, presenting itself as a continuator of the liberal tradition and thus reinforcing its legitimacy.

Engraved by S. Ocampo G., the piece belongs to the figures category. It bears witness to the official cult of the liberal heroes and to how the Porfiriato used the memory of Juárez to consolidate the national narrative in the years before the Revolution.

The "Benito Juárez. Centenario de su natalicio" medal was struck in 1906. It is made of bronze, measures 51.34 mm in diameter, weighs 49.52 grams, and is the work of the engraver S. Ocampo G.. In the specialized catalog it is referenced as Grove, Medals of México, II #P-237b.

As a bronze medal, its value does not come from the metal but from the commemorative: the event it celebrates, its age (1821-1910 period), and demand among collectors of the theme. Condition and the rarity of the issue are what drive the price.

How to identify and value this medal

1. Confirm the metal. It is bronze; its value depends on the theme and the condition.
2. Read the legend and the motif. It commemorates "Benito Juárez. Centenario de su natalicio," which defines its historical interest.
3. Check the condition. No scratches or harsh cleaning, with a natural patina.
4. Look for the case and the certificate if it had them: they add collector value.

Explore more pieces in the Mexican numismatics catalog and learn to read the marks in the guide on how to identify Mexican mints.