Mexico • 50 centavos

Mexican Historical .903 Silver 50 Centavos

A matching historical Mexican 50 centavo coin contains 0.393 reference fine silver troy ounce using the designated reference melt table. The confirmed included annual years are 1866, 1869–1888, 1892, 1894 and 1895. The genuine paired photograph shows an 1866 specimen of the type described below. Match denomination, actual date, design, mint and nominal 13.5365 g mass before selecting this standard.

1866 Mexican Historical .903 Silver 50 Centavos obverse: Maximilian portrait and MAXIMILIANO EMPERADOR
Obverse — Genuine 1866 representative; type-specific dates, designs, alloys and finishes still require attribution.
Unknown photographer; Inri releasing account / Wikimedia Commons / CC0 1.0; Split joined source retaining complete rim; WebP conversion only; no enlargement, retouching or synthetic reconstruction · Image source · CC0 1.0
1866 Mexican Historical .903 Silver 50 Centavos reverse: Crowned Imperial arms, 50 CENT and 1866 Mo
Reverse — Genuine 1866 representative; type-specific dates, designs, alloys and finishes still require attribution.
Unknown photographer; Inri releasing account / Wikimedia Commons / CC0 1.0; Split joined source retaining complete rim; WebP conversion only; no enlargement, retouching or synthetic reconstruction · Image source · CC0 1.0

When a fresh spot bid is available, melt values use fine-metal content × spot bid. CashForCoins guide buying offers use the separately configured percentage for each metal. Selected rare/numismatic coins require an appraisal. Dollar amounts remain unavailable when a fresh quote or buying percentage is missing.

Verified coin specifications

Country
Mexico
Face denomination
50 centavos
Composition
Designated .903 silver reference; dated precision differences disclosed
Gross weight (grams)
13.5365
Fineness
0.903
Fine-metal weight (troy oz)
0.393
Mint
Historical Mexican mints; consult the dated type table
Restrikes
Patterns, regional issues, tokens, counterfeits and later replicas excluded
Issue years
1866, 1869–1888, 1892, 1894 and 1895

Exact reviewed annual issue dates for this assigned metal/weight scope. Mint, design, overdate and finish combinations remain type-specific; broader headings do not fill absent annual rows. Source precision exceptions and separate alloy standards are explained in the guide.

Source precision
The designated reference World Silver melt reference supplies 13.5365 g/.903/.393 fine silver troy ounce. Imperial KM 387 repeats those values. Most Republican KM 407 mint records give 13.5360 g/.9030/.393, while Mexico City KM 407.6 gives 13.5360 g/.9027/.3928. These exact dated precision differences are disclosed and the designated reference remains unchanged. They do not alone prove separate physical alloy issues. The inspected reference tables do not supply a common diameter or thickness; neither is invented.

Calculate this coin’s metal content

One coin contains 0.393 troy oz of fine silver.

Formula: specified fine-metal troy ounces × quantity. Dollar melt value additionally requires an approved current metal price.

Obverse: identify the front

The pictured 1866 Imperial coin shows the bearded portrait of Maximilian facing right with MAXIMILIANO EMPERADOR. That portrait belongs to KM 387. The subsequent Republican KM 407 mint types instead show the facing Mexican eagle and snake; they must not be described as the pictured Imperial portrait.

Reverse: identify the back

The matching 1866 Imperial reverse has a crowned oval shield and IMPERIO MEXICANO. The later Republican fifty-centavo types use a radiant Liberty cap above scales. The genuine 1866 image illustrates the Imperial design alone, while the dated table identifies the distinct Republican mint families.

History and purpose

This reference family spans the 1866 Imperial fifty centavos and later Republican mint-specific fifty-centavo issues. Their political legends and reverse designs are materially different despite the similar designated silver standard. Later Mexican fifty centavos also used .800, .720, .420 and .300 silver with different nominal weights and fine silver amounts. Those standards belong to separate calculators.

How to identify this variant

Start with the 50 centavo denomination, complete date and the exact mint-specific design. A country emblem or a year within a broad heading cannot establish silver content by itself. The nominal 13.5365 g standard is a reference for a correctly attributed coin, not an authentication tolerance. Wear, clipping and damage can change measured mass. Patterns, tokens, regional issues and uncertain copies need separate identification rather than being forced into this calculator.

Understanding its metal content

The calculator applies 0.393 fine silver troy ounce to each matching coin. Three pieces contribute 40.6095 nominal gross grams and 1.179 reference fine silver troy ounce. Gross alloy mass is not pure silver mass; a troy ounce also differs from an avoirdupois ounce. Dollar melt values require a current approved market-price feed. Missing prices are not represented as zero, and a metal calculation is not a collector valuation or buying offer.

Dates, varieties and composition changes

The confirmed annual union is 1866, 1869–1888, 1892, 1894 and 1895. Do not fill the intervening years solely from the broad 1866–1895 heading. Imperial KM 387 is documented for 1866 only. Republican mint-specific rows supply the later years; Hermosillo includes 1894 and 1895, while Culiacán includes 1892. Mint, assayer, overdate and overpunched-mint variations are retained in the research rows. Each annual list below comes from observed dated reference rows; an overdate is counted under its visible issue year. Mint and assayer overpunched letters describe die varieties without adding a different annual year.

The reference dated type / mintActual annual yearsDated reference specification
KM 407.1 / Ca / CH1883, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1887Fineness: 0.9030 Weight: 13.5360 g ASW: 0.393 oz
KM 407 / As / A1875, 1876, 1877, 1878, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1884, 1885, 1888Fineness: 0.9030 Weight: 13.5360 g ASW: 0.393 oz
KM 407.4 / Go1869, 1870, 1871, 1872, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1876, 1877, 1878, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1887, 1888Fineness: 0.9030 Weight: 13.5360 g ASW: 0.393 oz
KM 407.2 / Cn1871, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1876, 1877, 1878, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1883, 1885, 1886, 1887, 1888, 1892Fineness: 0.9030 Weight: 13.5360 g ASW: 0.393 oz
KM 407.7 / Pi1870, 1871, 1872, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1876, 1877, 1878, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1887Fineness: 0.9030 Weight: 13.5360 g ASW: 0.393 oz
KM 407.6 / Mo Republican1869, 1870, 1871, 1872, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1876, 1877, 1878, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1887, 1888Fineness: 0.9027 Weight: 13.5360 g ASW: 0.3928 oz
KM 407.8 / Zs1870, 1871, 1872, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1876, 1877, 1878, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1887Fineness: 0.9030 Weight: 13.5360 g ASW: 0.393 oz
KM 407.3 / Do1873, 1874, 1875, 1876, 1877, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1887Fineness: 0.9030 Weight: 13.5360 g ASW: 0.393 oz
KM 407.5 / Ho1874, 1875, 1876, 1882, 1888, 1894, 1895Fineness: 0.9030 Weight: 13.5360 g ASW: 0.393 oz
KM 387 / Mo Imperial1866Fineness: 0.9030 Weight: 13.5365 g ASW: 0.393 oz

Melt value versus collector value

Date, mint, assayer, overdate, die pairing, condition and provenance can affect collector interest separately from fine silver content. Keep scarce-looking or unusual pieces available for individual review. The guide does not infer a grade, rarity or value from a photograph. Avoid polishing or cleaning and preserve certification, original holders and any established attribution.

Authenticity and condition

The genuine pictured 1866 image represents one documented type only. It cannot authenticate another specimen or demonstrate every mint, overdate or finish in the historical family. Clear photographs should retain the complete design, lettering and rims; add edge views and measured mass and diameter where available. Do not infer missing dimensions or alloy components from an image. A cast, plated, altered-date or unassigned regional piece requires further investigation.

Selling this coin

Sort historical 50 centavos by actual design, mint and date before entering quantities. Keep coins from other silver standards or base-metal issues in separate groups. CashForCoins’ existing photo-appraisal flow can carry the selected coin and quantity into an enquiry. Preserve suspected overdates and unusual die details for individual review, because an offer can depend on authenticity, condition and collector demand as well as metal.

Sources and calculation methodology

The designated reference World Silver melt reference supplies 13.5365 g/.903/.393 fine silver troy ounce. Imperial KM 387 repeats those values. Most Republican KM 407 mint records give 13.5360 g/.9030/.393, while Mexico City KM 407.6 gives 13.5360 g/.9027/.3928. These exact dated precision differences are disclosed and the designated reference remains unchanged. They do not alone prove separate physical alloy issues. The inspected reference tables do not supply a common diameter or thickness; neither is invented. Annual mint-specific rows were reconciled from the linked dated reference tables, including observed overdates and assayer variants. No reference price-grid or mintage data is republished. The photograph source provides an independent CC 0 copyright-holder release, distinct from the coin-design public-domain notice. The uploader is Inri; the photographer is unspecified.

The actual dated representative photographs and independent reuse permissions were inspected. Complete faces are retained, with WebP conversion and no enlargement, retouching or synthetic reconstruction; joined source images are split with complete rims. These photographs do not assay another specimen. Actual staging rendering and calculator acceptance are separately recorded.

Common questions

Which years are included for these 50 centavos?1866, 1869–1888, 1892, 1894 and 1895. Consult the mint-specific table because individual mints have different gaps and end dates.
How much silver is in three matching coins?1.179 reference fine silver troy ounce. Nominal gross mass totals 40.6095 g; authentication and collector value are separate.
Why do some dated reference specifications differ?The guide discloses the exact source precision differences and retains the designated melt calculation. Small numerical differences alone do not establish a separate physical alloy issue. Missing dimensions are left unspecified.

References

Issue-year references

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

Related coins

1950 Mexican .300 Silver Fifty Centavos obverse: Mexican national arms

Mexican .300 Silver Fifty Centavos

Photo credits and rights on the linked coin profile.

Mexico • 30% silver; remaining alloy metals not independently verified

Issue years: 1950–1951

Fine silver: 0.064200 troy oz

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