Quick Coinage Facts
Years Minted: 1905-20, 1955
Composition: 90% Gold, 10% Copper
Diameter: 19 mm
Weight: 4.1666 grams (.1206 ounces of gold)
Total Series Mintage: 9,392,000 (approximate)
Obverse Design: National Arms
Reverse Design: Bust Design
Introduction
The 5 pesos gold coin was sporadically issued from 1905 to 1920 and reissued in 1955. The 5 pesos gold coin was issued for circulation using the bust image of Independence War hero Hidalgo.
It is often assumed that the silver 5 pesos coin minted from 1951 to 1957 was the first coin to bear Hidalgo's image but the 5 pesos gold coin came first and it is an honest mistake as collectors of gold coinage are smaller than that of silver and base metal coinage collectors.
Design
The obverse design features the Mexican coat of arms, an eagle clutching a snake while it perches on a prickly pear cactus. On the outer periphery is the phrase “ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS” or as translated to english “United Mexican States”.
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The reverse design features a bust image of Hidalgo facing left. On the outer periphery is the denomination "CINCO PESOS” and year of issue. Just below the bust design is the mint mark “M” for the Mexico City Mint.
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General Market Notes
The key to the series is the 1905 issue and the semi-key is the 1918/17 over-date. Additionally, according to Krause Publications, from 1951 to 1972 a total of 1,767,645 pieces were restruck with the date 1955[1].