Homepage / Bullion Coins: Mexican Bullion / 1 oz. Mexican Gold Libertad
Updated on 04/08/2024
Libertad in English means "Freedom."
The Libertad is a symbol of Mexico's Independence; Mexico won its independence from Spain on August 24th, 1821.
However, this is not the date of its celebrated "Independence Day," that date is September 16th.
On September 16th, 1810, Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, a Catholic priest, started the Mexican War of Independence when he gave his famous speech 'Grito de Dolores' or 'Cry of Delores,' named after the town in Guanajuato where it took place.
He rang the bell of his church to get the town's attention, and he called on the people to rise against their Spanish-European occupiers.
Note: Outside of Mexico, 'Cinco de Mayo' is frequently misinterpreted as Mexico's Independence Day, which it isn't, 'Cinco de Mayo' celebrates the Mexican victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.
In 1981, Banco de Mexico introduced the Mexican Gold Libertad and the Mexican Mint began production of the 1 oz, 1/2 oz, and 1/4 oz Gold Libertads.
There is little information about Gold Libertad's first ten years of production; mintage figures are only available for its first year of minting.
Gold Libertads are made of .999 fine gold and minted in the following sizes: 1/20 oz, 1/10 oz, 1/4 oz, 1/2 oz, and one troy ounce.
In 1991, the Mexican Mint added the 1/10 oz and 1/20 oz Gold Libertads to the bullion series.
From 1981 through 1994, the Gold Libertad Onza portrayed the same design as the Centenario 'Winged Victory' Angel taken from Mexico's 50-peso gold bullion coin (pictured above right).
There were no Libertads minted from 1995 to 1999.
The Mexican Mint resumed the production of the 1oz. Gold Libertad in 2000, stopped in 2001 and 2002, then in 2003, they resumed minting the Libertad, and have without interruption.
In 2000, due to the high demand for gold, the Mexican Mint started to mint the Gold Libertad again, but this time with a new design.
The reverse side's new design displayed a different "Winged Victory" Angel from the ONZA; this gave the Gold Libertad the same reverse design as the Silver Libertads.
Since the year 2000, the Mexican Mint has minted the '1oz.' Gold Libertads, every year, without interruption.
El Angel was built in 1910 to commemorate the Centennial of the beginning of Mexico's War of Independence.
El Ángel de la Independencia, or The Angel of Independence, is the famous statue of Winged Victory located at the roundabout in the Paseo de la Reforma in downtown Mexico City.
The Angel of Independence is flying atop a victory column known as the "Independence Column or Columna de la Independencia."
"El Angel" is the name the statue is commonly known as.
She holds in her right hand a laurel crown, symbolizing Victory, and in her left hand, she holds a broken chain, symbolizing Freedom.
The Statue is solid bronze and covered in pure 24k gold; it weighs 7 tons.
The Angel of Independence is one of Mexico City's most recognizable landmarks.
Obverse
The centerpiece of the obverse side of the Mexican Gold Libertad features the National Coat of Arms of Mexico.
The coat of arms depicts a Mexican Golden Eagle perched upon a cactus with a snake in its beak.
It symbolizes Tenochtitlan, the Aztec Capital, now Mexico City.
There is a wreath below the eagle, half made of oak leaves and the other half made of laurel leaves.
The Laurel leaves represent Victory, and the Oak leaves commemorate those who have given their lives for Mexico.
Surrounding the Coat of Arms are the words “ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS.” (The Official Name for Mexico in Spanish)
Encircling the Eagle are ten various Coat of Arms used throughout Mexico’s history.
The edge on the 1 oz Gold Libertad is reeded.
Coin photo provided courtesy of SD Bullion
Reverse
The reverse side of the Mexican Gold Libertad features the "Winged Victory" Angel design.
The angel is towering above the volcanoes Popocatépetl and Iztaccihuatl, the volcano's names memorialize the legend of two Aztec lovers.
Inscribed around the top of the 1 oz. Mexican Gold Libertad is "1 ONZA" (one ounce), "ORO PURO" (pure gold).
The "Year of Issue" is also inscribed along the top of the Gold Libertad, along with the word "Ley" (pure) ".999" representing the Libertad's purity.
The "M" under an "O" symbol below the "Year of Issue" is the Mint Mark of the Mexican Mint.
Note: The 1 oz Mexican Gold Libertad has no face value.
Coin photo provided courtesy of SD Bullion
The Mexican Libertad is technically a Bullion "Round" and Not a Bullion "Coin," the differences are slight but important to know.
Bullion with a "Face Value" is a "Coin" because the term "Coin" is Only used for government-backed legal tender with a Face Value.
Bullion Rounds have no "Face Value" because, in most cases, "Rounds" are manufactured by a private mint or privately held entity, and No Government backs them.
There are some exceptions to this rule, for example, the Mexican Libertad.
The Mexican Mint produces Gold and Silver Libertads under the authority of the Central Bank of Mexico (Banco de Mexico) and the Mexican Government.
However, Silver and Gold Libertads are Rounds and Not Coins because they Do Not Have a Face Value.
Learn more about the Differences between Coins and Rounds here.
Introduction:........1981
IRA approved:.......Yes
Grade:..................Uncirculated
Face Value:...........No
Gold Content:........1 Troy oz.
Total Weight:........31.11 grams
Purity:..................99.90% / .999
karat:...................24 karat
Diameter:.............34.00mm
Mint Mark:.............Yes
Edge:....................Reeded
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Notice
Year Mintage
1981....596,000
1991....109,193
1992....46,281
1993....73,881
1994....1,000
1995....0
1996....0
1997....0
1998....0
1999....0
2000....1,730
2001....0
2002....0
2003....1,000
2004....5,500
2005....2,000
2006....2,000
2007....2,500
2008....800
2009....6,200
2010....4,000
2011....3,000
2012....3,000
2013....2,350
2014....4,050
2015....4,800
2016....4,100
2017....900
2018....2,050
2019....2,000
2020....1,100
2021....1,050
2022....1,900
2023....1,500
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Mexican Gold Libertad
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The Story Behind the Mexican Coat of Arms
In the early 1300s, an Aztec tribe
also known as the Mexica tribe, who had no homeland, wandered around the
northern areas of the country, known as Mesoamerica, in search of a
place to build their Empire.
As the legend goes, in 1323, the tribe's leader received a vision in a dream that they were to settle at the place where they saw an eagle with a snake in its beak, while perched at the top of a prickly pear cactus.
Two years later, the dream was fulfilled on a swampy island, in Lake Texcoco.
Scouts for the tribe found the eagle, snake, and cactus in the same fashion that the leader described to them, in his vision.
This is where the tribe settled and built the city of Tenochtitlan, (tuh·nowch·teet·laan) which became the center of the Aztec Empire.
Today, Tenochtitlan is Mexico City.
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Click Tenochtitlan Links to see a Portrait of Tenochtitlan in a 3-D reconstruction of the capital of the Aztec Empire and more.
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