Obverse: identify the front

The reference identifies the obverse as the Mexican national arms. The representative 1924 coin’s arms and ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS legend identify its issuing country; compare all visible details against both faces. Similar national arms occur on other denominations and metals, so the eagle by itself does not establish .720 silver or authenticity.

Reverse: identify the back

The reference identifies the reverse as the peso value and date within a three-quarter wreath, with a Liberty cap above. On the representative coin the date is 1924. The denomination, date, cap and wreath must be read together. The reference separately records the Mo mintmark and INDEPENDENCIA Y LIBERTAD edge inscription; a paired face photograph does not independently prove an unseen edge.

History and purpose

The KM 455 series follows the heavier .800 silver peso of 1918–1919. Its 16.66 g gross mass and .720 silver composition give a distinct silver amount from both that earlier standard and the later .500, .300 and .100 pesos. Annual minting was intermittent: the inspected rows do not create a continuous 1920–1945 run. A familiar denomination should never be used to apply one peso’s metal amount to all Mexican pesos.

How to identify this variant

Confirm a 1 peso denomination, an included issue year and the matching national-arms/Liberty-cap design. Compare the nominal 16.66 g weight and 34 mm diameter with the specimen. Wear can reduce measured mass, while plating, cast copies and incorrect alloy can defeat identification by appearance. Keep the .800 1918–1919 type, later portrait pesos, regional issues and uncertain pieces separate until their type is established.

Understanding its metal content

The calculator uses .3856 fine silver troy ounce per matching coin. Three matching pesos contribute 49.98 nominal gross grams and 1.1568 reference fine silver troy ounces. Gross mass includes alloy and is not itself silver mass. The reference’s dated page reports .3857 oz while the designated melt group reports .3856 oz; the calculation consistently preserves the latter. No live dollar melt value is supplied without an approved, current market-price source.

Dates, varieties and composition changes

The inspected annual rows are 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1938, 1940, 1943, 1944 and 1945. They also list 1920/10 and 1933/2 overdates, plus open and closed 9 forms for 1932. An overdate undernumeral does not add 1910 or 1932 as another newly minted issue; 1932 is already present independently. No 1928–1931, 1936–1937, 1939 or 1941–1942 matching annual rows are asserted.

Melt value versus collector value

An attributed overdate, die variety, date, finish, condition or provenance may influence collector interest independently of silver content. The metal calculation cannot determine grade, rarity or collector value. Avoid polishing or cleaning; preserve original surfaces, any established provenance and reputable certification. A worn piece and an uncirculated example of the same nominal standard can have different collector values.

Authenticity and condition

The representative photograph records one 1924 design, not an assay or authentication certificate for another coin. Supply complete obverse, reverse and edge photographs with measured weight and diameter when requesting identification. Do not infer proof manufacture from a bright or polished surface. Suspected counterfeits, uncertain regional pieces or dates absent from this series need individual investigation.

Selling this coin

Sort Mexican pesos by actual type and alloy before entering quantities. Keep this .720 standard separate from .800, .500, .300 and .100 silver pesos. CashForCoins’ existing photo-appraisal flow can carry the selected coin and quantity into an enquiry. A buying offer may depend on authenticity, condition and collector demand as well as metal; this educational calculator does not constitute a bid.

Sources and calculation methodology

The reference’s designated World Silver melt table supplies 16.66 g gross mass, .720 fineness and .3856 reference fine silver troy ounce. The matching KM 455 dated record supplies the actual annual rows, 34 mm diameter, Mo mintmark, national-arms and Liberty-cap designs and INDEPENDENCIA Y LIBERTAD edge inscription. That dated page instead rounds ASW to .3857 oz. This guide retains the user-designated melt table’s .3856 oz for calculation and openly records the .0001-oz reference discrepancy; it does not invent a different alloy or issue from that difference. Thickness and the identities of remaining alloy metals have not been independently verified. Annual issue rows are read from the matching dated type rather than inferred from the broad 1920–1945 heading. The reference prices, mintages and articles are not republished. The representative 1924 photograph has an independent CC 0 release on its Commons page; the photographer is unspecified, and Inri is credited as the releasing/uploader account. Both acquired full-rim faces and the independent CC 0 dedication were reviewed before the private import; actual staging rendering is separately validated.

Common questions

References

• NGC designated World Silver Coin Melt Values — designated weight; fineness; reference silver ounces; broader group heading (checked 2026-10-12)
• NGC Mexican peso KM455 dated type — dated identity; weight; fineness; dated reference ounces discrepancy; diameter; exact dates from annual rows; design; edge; mint and variety notes (checked 2026-10-12)
• CC0 representative1924 Mexican peso paired photograph — independent photograph release; original collection source; unspecified photographer; Inri uploader (checked 2026-10-12)

Issue-year references

• NGC Mexican peso KM455 dated type

Content maintained by CashForCoins. Last substantive record update: 2026-10-12. Report a specification or attribution issue through our contact page.

Related coins

Mexican Caballito Silver Peso

Photo credits and rights on the linked coin profile.

Mexico • 90.3% silver; remaining alloy metals not independently verified

Issue years: 1910–1914

Fine silver: 0.785900 troy oz

Add to collection

Mexican Silver Five Pesos — Cuauhtémoc 1947–1948

Photo credits and rights on the linked coin profile.

Mexico • 90% silver; remaining alloy metals not independently verified

Issue years: 1947–1948

Fine silver: 0.868000 troy oz

Add to collection