Mexico City is the nation 's capital and home to the íirsl mint established in the New World in 1536.
| from | to | |
| 1824 | 13 April 1847 | Government of the Republic of Mexico |
| 13 April 1847 | 6 April 1857 | Palamade de la Roche y Cia.{footnote}with the association of the Mackintosh Mint Company: however, in January 1850 Mackintosh sold his shares and co-tenant rights to Juan Antonio Béistegui.{/footnote} |
| 6 April 1857 | 1858 | Bellange y Temple |
| 1858 | 1 January 1869 | Juan Temple |
| 1 January 1869 | 31 March 1872 | Government of the Republic of Mexico |
| 1 April 1872 | 31 January 1893 | Francisca Temple de Ajuria |
| 31 January 1893 | 1905 | Government of the Republic of Mexico |
| Initial | Name | Begins on | Ends on |
| JM |
José Garcia Anzalda and Manuel Ruiz Tejada
Tejada was appointed Ensayador 1o Supernumerio of the Mexico City mint by royal cédula of 5 May 1815 “to reward his knowledge (para premiar sus concocimientos)”, a position he held until his death. He served in various legislatures, and in 1847 took up arms in defence of his country. On 10 February 1866 Emperor Maximilian invested him as a Knight of the Imperial Order of the Mexican Eagle{footnote}La Sociedad, Tomo VI, Núm. 966, 15 February 1866{/footnote}. He died on 28 January 1867{footnote}La Sociedad, Tomo V. Núm. 1,299, 1 February 1867{/footnote}. |
1823{footnote}since 1822 under Iturbide{/footnote} | 1832 |
| MJ | Manuel Ruiz Tejada and Jose Carda Anzaldo | 1833 | |
| ML | Manuel Ruiz Tejada and Luis Velazquez de la Cadena | 1833 | 1836 |
| 1837 | |||
| 1838 | 1842 | ||
| MF | Manuel Ruiz Tejada and Francisco Lelo de Larrea | 1836 | |
| 1844 | 1847 | ||
| MM | unknown | 1837 | 1838 |
| 1842 | 1843 | ||
| MF | unknown | 1844 | 1847 |
| RC | unknown | 1847 | |
| GC | Joaquín González and Sebastían Camacho | 1848 | 1855 |
| GF | unknown | 1855 | 1857 |
| FH |
unknown and Francisco Hermosa Francisco Hermosa was born in Mexico City on 13 January 1829. He entered the Colegio de Mineria in 1843 and graduated as an Ensayador-Apartador de Metales on 5 September 1849. He then worked in the mining areas of Guanajuato, El Oro and Tlalpujahua and in 1857 produced a small work entitled Manual de Laboreo de Minas y Beneficio de metals, dispuestopara uso de los mineros y azogueros de la República Mexicana. He was appointed ensayador at the beginning of May 1857 and served for thirty-three years, retiring on 5 December 1889. He died on 14 May 1891{footnote}El Tiempo, 26 May 1891{/footnote}. |
1858 | 1860 |
| TH | unknown and Francisco Hermosa | 1860 | 1861 |
| 1863 | |||
| CH | unknown and Francisco Hermosa | 1863 | 1869 |
| PH | unknown and Francisco Hermosa | 1868 | |
| MH | Antonio Mucharras and Francisco Hermosa | 1873 | 1874 |
| 1877 | 1890 | ||
| BH | Mariano Barcena and Francisco Hermosa | 1874 | 1876 |
| AM | Adolfo Medina | 1890 | 1908 |
| AB | Antonio de la Barrera | 1895 | 1896 |
KM-368.6 ¼r Mexico City 1850 MoLR (Stack’s Bowers Baltimore Auction, 28 March 2011, lot 8105)
Diameter 12 mm. 0.845 g, 0.90277 silver
| Date | Engraver | Recorded Mintage |
Comment |
| 1842 | LR | ||
| 1843 | LR | ||
| 1844 | LR | ||
| 1844/3 | LR | illustrated below | |
| 1845 | LR | ||
| 1846 | LR | ||
| 1850 | LR | ||
| 1858 | LR | ||
| 1859 | LR | ||
| 1860 | LR | ||
| 1861 | LR | ||
| 1862 | LR | ||
| 1863 | LR |
KM-368.6 ¼r Mexico City 1844/3 MoLR (Stack’s Bowers Auction, 13 February 2019, lot 71483)
KM-370.9 ½r 1826 Mo JM (Stack’s Bowers Kirk Menczer Collection, 23 June 2026, lot 72175)
Early large cap.
Diameter 16 mm. 1.690 g, 0.90277 silver
For a consideration of the rarity of Mexico City ½ real see here.
| Date | Asssayer | Recorded Mintage |
Comment |
| 1824 | JM | ||
| 1835 | JM | ||
| 1826 | JM | round-top 6 | |
| 1826 | JM | flat-top 6 | |
| 1826/5 | JM | illustrated below | |
| 1827/6 | JM | ||
| 1827 | JM | medal axis | |
| 1827 | JM | coin axis | |
| 1828 | JM | ||
| 1828/7 | JM | illustrated below | |
| 1829/8 | JM | ||
| 1829 | JM | ||
| 1830 | JM | ||
| 1831 | JM | ||
| 1832 | JM | ||
| 1833 | MJ | ||
| 1834 | ML | ||
| 1835 | ML | ||
| 1836 | ML | L/F | |
| 1836/5 | ML | L/F | |
| 1836 | ML | ||
| 1838 | ML | ||
| 1839 | ML | ||
| 1839/8 | ML | ||
| 1840 | ML | ||
| 1841 | ML | ||
| 1841 | ML | two stars | |
| 1842 | ML | ||
| 1842 | MM | ||
| 1843 | MM | ||
| 1844 | MF | no dot after MEXICANA | |
| 1845 | MF | ||
| 1845/4 | MF | ||
| 1846 | MF | square wing | |
| 1846 | MF | round wing | |
| 1847 | RC/RM | ||
| 1847 | RC | ||
| 1848/7 | GC/RC | illustrated below | |
| 1849 | GC | ||
| 1850/40 | GC | ||
| 1850 | GC | ||
| 1851 | GC | ||
| 1852 | GC | ||
| 1853 | GC | ||
| 1854 | GC | ||
| 1855 | GC | ||
| 1855 | GF/FC | ||
| 1856/5 | GF | ||
| 1857 | GF | ||
| 1858 | FH | ||
| 1858 | FH | H/C | |
| 1858/7 | FH | ||
| 1858/9 | FH | illustrated below | |
| 1859 | FH/GF | ||
| 1860 | FH/GC | ||
| 1860 | FH/GF | ||
| 1860 | TH | ||
| 1860/59 | FH | ||
| 1860 | FH | ||
| 1860/59 | GH | ||
| 1861 | CH | ||
| 1862/51 | CH/GC | ||
| 1862 6/5 | CH/GC | ||
| 1862 | CH | H/C | |
| 1862 | CH | ||
| 1863 | TH | issued while Maximilian's forces controlled the mint (7 June 1863 - 20 June 1867) | |
| 1863/55 | TH/GC | ||
| 1863 | CH/GC | ||
| 1863 | CH |
KM-370.9 ½r 1826/5 Mo JM (Stack’s Bowers Kirk Menczer Collection, 23 June 2026, lot 72174)
KM-370.9 6 ½r 1828/7 Mo JM (Stack’s Bowers Kirk Menczer Collection, 23 June 2026, lot 72177)
KM-370.9 ½r 1836 Mo ML (Stack’s Bowers Kirk Menczer Collection, 23 June 2026, lot 72186)
Overassayer not listed by NGC but boldly visible.
KM-370.9 6 ½r 1836/5 Mo ML (Stack’s Bowers Kirk Menczer Collection, 23 June 2026, lot 72185)
KM-370.9 ½r 1848/7 Mo GC/RC (Stack’s Bowers Kirk Menczer Collection, 23 June 2026, lot 72198)
KM-370.9 ½r 1855 Mo GF/GC (Stack’s Bowers Kirk Menczer Collection, 23 June 2026, lot 72205)
KM-370.9 ½r 1856/5 Mo GF (Stack’s Bowers Kirk Menczer Collection, 23 June 2026, lot 72206)
KM-370.9 ½r 1858/9 Mo FH (Stack’s Bowers Kirk Menczer Collection, 24 June 2026, lot 72209)
KM-370.9 ½r 1860/59 Mo FH/GC (Ponterio Baltimore auction, 14 June 2011, lot 6265)
KM-368.6 ¼r 1860 Mo LR – unknown punch above the date
A variety with a very high and dramatic punch of some kind that looks similar to a partial “6”.
KM-368.6 ¼r 1861 Mo LR - doubling on the bust of Liberty
Although doubling on Republic coins is not that unusual, this particular quartilla stands out very boldly on the left side of the bust of Liberty.
KM-370.9 6 ½r 1863/55 Mo TH (Stack’s Bowers Kirk Menczer Collection, 23 June 2026, lot 72215)
Cataloger does not agree with this overdate attribution. It appears that there is some re-punching but not an overdate.
KM-372.8 1r 1825 Mo JM (Morton $ Eden auction 104, November 2019, lot 454)
Diameter 20 mm. 3.380 g, 0.90277 silver
| Date | Asssayer | Recorded Mintage |
Comment |
| 1825 | JM | ||
| 1826 | JM | ||
| 1827/6 | JM | ||
| 1827 | JM | ||
| 1828 | JM | ||
| 1830/29 | JM | ||
| 1830 | JM | ||
| 1831 | JM | ||
| 1832 | JM | ||
| 1833/2 | MJ | illustrated below | |
| 1850 | GC | ||
| 1852 | GC | ||
| 1854/2 | GC | ||
| 1854 | GC | ||
| 1855 | GF | ||
| 1856 | GF | ||
| 1857 | GF | ||
| 1858 | FH | ||
| 1859 | FH | ||
| 1861 | CH | ||
| 1862 | CH | ||
| 1863 | CH | issued while Maximilian's forces controlled the mint (7 June 1863 - 20 June 1867) | |
| 1863/2 | CH | ||
| 1863 | TH |
KM-372.8 1r 1833/2 Mo MJ (Stack’s Bowers Kirk Menczer Collection, 23 June 2026, lot 72393)
KM-372.8 1r 1863/2 Mo CH (Stack’s Bowers Kirk Menczer Collection, 23 June 2026, lot 72402)
KM-373.4 2r Mexico City 1824 JM (Stack’s Bowers Baltimore auction, November 2014, lot 628)
Diameter 27 mm. 6.670 g, 0.90277 silver
| Date | Asssayer | Recorded Mintage |
Comment |
| 1824 | JM | ||
| 1825 | JM | ||
| 1826 | JM | ||
| 1827 | JM | ||
| 1828 | JM | ||
| 1829/8 | JM | ||
| 1829 | JM | ||
| 1830 | JM | ||
| 1831 | JM | ||
| 1832 | JM | ||
| 1833/2 | MJ/JM | ||
| 1833 | MJ | ||
| 1834 | ML | ||
| 1836 | ML | ||
| 1836 | ML | ||
| 1837 | ML | ||
| 1840/7 | ML | ||
| 1840 | ML | ||
| 1841 | ML | ||
| 1842 | ML | ||
| 1847 | RC | narrow legend | |
| 1847 | RC | wide legend | |
| 1848 | GC | ||
| 1848 | GC | ||
| 1849 | GC | ||
| 1850 | GC | ||
| 1851 | GC | ||
| 1852 | GC | ||
| 1853 | GC | ||
| 1854/44 | GC | ||
| 1855 | GC | ||
| 1855 | GF/GC | ||
| 1855 | GF | ||
| 1856/5 | GF/GC | ||
| 1857 | GF | ||
| 1858 | FH | ||
| 1858 | FH/GF | ||
| 1859 | FH | ||
| 1860 | FH | ||
| 1860 | TH | ||
| 1861 | CH | ||
| 1861 | PH | circulating counterfeit | |
| 1862 | CH | ||
| 1863 | CH | issued while Maximilian's forces controlled the mint (7 June 1863 - 20 June 1867) | |
| 1863 | TH | ||
| 1867 | CH | ||
| 1868 | CH | ||
| 1868 | PH |
KM-374.10 2r 1827 Mo JM (Stack’s Bowers Kirk Menczer Collection, 24 June 2026, lot 73110)
KM-374.10 2r 1829/8 Mo JM (Stack’s Bowers Kirk Menczer Collection, 24 June 2026, lot 73112)
KM-374.10 2r 1854/44 Mo GC (Stack’s Bowers Kirk Menczer Collection, 24 June 2026, lot 73125)
KM-374.10 2r 1856/5 Mo GF (Stack’s Bowers Kirk Menczer Collection, 24 June 2026, lot 73126)
KM-374.10 2r 1858 Mo FH/GF (Stack’s Bowers Kirk Menczer Collection, 24 June 2026, lot 73128)
counterfeit KM-374.10 2r 1853 Mo GC (Briggs & Bustos Counterfeit issues auction, 10 August 2025, lot 57)
Struck on a flan with high silver content. 6.27 grams, 27.5 millimeters in diameter, Republican edge cord, coin alignment. Clearly of different design than the official issue, with a “triangular” cap, reversed “s” letters in 10Ds 20Gs. Metal composition: 92.79% Silver, 6.55% Copper, 0.37% Gold, 0.27% Lead.
KM-375.6 4r 1850 Mo GC (Stack’s Bowers Kirk Menczer Collection, 24 June 2026, lot 73252)
Diameter 32 mm. 13.540 g, 0.90277 silver
No mint struck any four reales until 1827 when Mexico City issued the first of the series. Interestingly all known 1827 4R are the over-date – 1827/6 – therefore it is just possible that there is an 1826 out there. However, a more likely explanation is that the dies were prepared in 1826 but for reasons unknown to us production did not start until 1827, thus the last digit was over-punched. Another interesting fact about the 1827 4R is that it comes with both medal and coin orientations.
| Date | Asssayer | Recorded Mintage |
Comment |
| 1827/6 | JM | medal axis | |
| 1827/6 | JM | coin axis | |
| 1850 | GC | ||
| 1852 | GC | ||
| 1854/2 | GC | ||
| 1854/3 | GC | ||
| 1855 | GF/GC | illustrated below | |
| 1855 | GF | ||
| 1856 | GF/GC | illustrated below | |
| 1859 | FH | ||
| 1861 | CH | ||
| 1862 | CH | ||
| 1863/2 | CH | illustrated below | |
| 1863/3 | CH | ||
| 1863 | CH | ||
| 1867 | CH | ||
| 1868 | CH/PH | illustrated below | |
| 1868 | PH |
KM-375.6 4r 1827/6 Mo JM (Stack’s Bowers auction, 13 February 2019, lot 71213)
KM-375.6 4r 1855 Mo GF/GC (Stack’s Bowers Kirk Menczer Collection, 24 June 2026, lot 73255)
KM-375.6 4r 1856 Mo GF/GC (Stack’s Bowers Kirk Menczer Collection, 24 June 2026, lot 73256)
KM-375.6. 4r Mexico City 1863/2 Mo CH (Stack’s Bowers ANA auction, 16 August 2019, lot 21346)
KM-375.6 4r 1868 Mo CH/PH (Stack’s Bowers auction, 13 February 2019, lot 71216)
Manuel Ruiz de Tejada was born in Aguascalientes on 11 October 1779. On 1 January 1792 he enrolled in the Escuela de Minas (then the Real Seminario de Minería) in Mexico City, the day that it opened, and spent part of his course at mines in Zacatecas before graduating with the highest honours. He then substituted for the ailing professor of Mathematics and on the latter’s death took over the post. On the death of the professor of Physics, he took over that role, which he held for sixty years. As the corps of professors of Minería was the only scientific body in Mexico at that time, all questions that should have been decided by government or individuals were passed to them and Tejada, always part of the relevant commission, propounded and decided them “with his good judgement, vast knowledge and privileged talent”. When Baron Alexander von Humboldt, the German polymath, geographer, naturalist and explorer, visited Mexico in 1803 he developed a friendship with the one he called “the wise Tejada”, and they corresponded until von Humboldt’s death in 1859.