Published on 21 August 2026 by Gold ReserveThe value of a Mexican 50 pesos coin follows the gold price. It weighs 41.67 grams at a fineness of 900, which makes it the heaviest current gold coin on the market: on its own it holds more metal than a one ounce coin. That is why it is nicknamed the mini bar. In practice, its value is worked out by applying the fineness of 900 to its gross weight of 41.67 grams, then multiplying by the day’s gold price per gram. To that is added a modest premium, which pays for the coin’s recognition and liquidity. Our price of the day appears on the 50 Pesos gold listing.
The method of calculation, and why it beats a price
We deliberately give no price in euros in this article: it would be wrong within a few weeks. The method, on the other hand, stays right indefinitely.First step, the metal value.Take the gross weight, 41.67 grams, apply the fineness of 900, and multiply by the day’s gold price per gram. It is a ten-second calculation on a phone, and it gives the exact order of magnitude of what the coin is worth.Second step, the premium. It is added to the metal value and depends on supply and demand for this particular coin. On the 50 pesos it is structurally low: the coin was struck in large numbers, it is recognised everywhere, and its large size brings it close to a bar. That low premium is its main argument against one ounce coins, which generally carry a higher one.
The Centenario, a coin born for an anniversary
The 50 pesos gold coin was struck for the first time in 1921, for the centenary of Mexico’s independence, proclaimed in 1821. Hence its nickname Centenario, and hence the double date on its reverse, where the year of striking is accompanied by the mention “1821”. The reverse shows the Winged Victory, the Angel of Independence that crowns the column of the same name on Paseo de la Reforma in Mexico City, with Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl in the background. The obverse carries the national arms and the legend “ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS”. The edge is inscribed: “INDEPENDENCIA Y LIBERTAD”. That detail is worth remembering, because an inscribed edge is hard to counterfeit properly.
The exact characteristics of the 50 pesos
The coin weighs 41.67 grams at a fineness of 900, with a diameter of 37 millimetres and a thickness of 2.8 millimetres. It is a thick, heavy coin, and its sheer weight in the hand is already a clue. Its reverse carries the engraved mention “37,5 Gr. ORO PURO”, which is an authentication element in its own right. The fineness of 900, lower than the 999.9 of a bar, is not a defect. It is a circulation alloy, chosen for its resistance to wear: a coin at 999.9 marks at the slightest contact, whereas an alloy at 900 goes through a century of handling without damage. That is why so many 50 pesos are still found in fine condition.
Original strikings and restrikes, or why so many 1947s
The 50 pesos was struck for circulation from 1921 to 1931, then from 1944 to 1947. Between 1949 and 1972, the Casa de Moneda de México produced 3,975,654 restrikes more, intended no longer for circulation but for investment demand, and almost all of these restrikes carry the date 1947. In other words, if your coin is dated 1947, it is very probably a restrike from the 1950s or 1960s rather than an original striking, simply because the restrikes are twelve times more numerous than the coins actually struck that year. That changes nothing about its value: the metal, the weight and the fineness are identical, and it trades at the gold price like the others. The most sought-after date remains 1921, because it is the first year of striking and the year of the centenary.
The family of gold pesos, from 2 to 50 pesos
Mexico struck a whole series of gold coins at the same fineness of 900, whose weights are strictly proportional to the face value. It is a highly coherent system, and it explains why these coins are often found together in the same inheritance.
The 2 pesos, or dos pesos
The 2 pesos weighs 1.67 grams at a fineness of 900, for a diameter of 13 millimetres. It is the smallest of the series and, by far, the most widespread in France. Struck from 1919 to 1948, it was restruck on a massive scale from 1951 to 1972, more than four and a half million pieces all carrying the date 1945. That is why almost every dos pesos one comes across is dated that way. Its value is that of its gold, with a relatively high premium given its small format.
The coins with the bust of Hidalgo: 2.5, 5 and 10 pesos
Three coins carry on the reverse the bust of Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, the priest who launched the war of independence in 1810. The 2.5 pesos weighs 2.08 grams for a diameter of 15.5 millimetres, the 5 pesos 4.17 grams for 19 millimetres, and the 10 pesos 8.33 grams for 22.5 millimetres. All three met the same fate as the dos pesos: a circulation striking early in the twentieth century, then restrikes until 1972, dated 1945 for the 2.5 pesos and 1959 for the 10 pesos. We list the 2.5 pesos, but not the 5 or the 10, whose availability on the French market is irregular.
The 20 pesos Azteca
The 20 pesos weighs 16.66 grams at a fineness of 900, for 27.5 millimetres in diameter. It is the finest of the series graphically: its reverse reproduces the Sun Stone, the Aztec monolith displayed at the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City, hence its nickname Azteca. Struck from 1917 to 1959, it was the subject of 1,158,414 restrikes between 1960 and 1971, mostly dated 1959. With these six coins you therefore have a scale running from 1.67 to 41.67 grams at the same fineness, which makes it a flexible way of building a gold position in steps, with a divisibility a bar does not offer.
Recognising a genuine 50 pesos
The 50 pesos is a counterfeited coin, like all the great gold coins, and its large size makes it an all the more interesting target. Four simple checks eliminate most fakes.The weight, the diameter and the thickness first: 41.67 grams, 37 millimetres and 2.8 millimetres. A scale accurate to a tenth of a gram is enough to rule out a counterfeit in base metal, gold being far denser than anything that can be substituted for it at equal volume, and a fake rarely respects all three measurements at once.The edge next, which must carry the inscription “INDEPENDENCIA Y LIBERTAD” clearly struck: it is the best clue.The reverse inscription, “37,5 Gr. ORO PURO”, must be clean and even. Finally, gold is not magnetic: a magnet that grips settles the question immediately, even though the opposite proves nothing. These checks do not replace an appraisal, but they weed out crude fakes. For a coin bought outside professional channels, a visit to a shop remains the only certainty.
50 pesos or a bar, which to choose?
At 41.67 grams, the 50 pesos weighs more than a one ounce minted bar and behaves, in terms of premium, more like a small bar than like a collector coin. Its nickname of mini bar is deserved. Against a bar of similar weight it brings two things: immediate international recognition, since any dealer in the world knows what a Centenario is, and the fact that it does not depend on a seal. A bar whose blister has been opened loses liquidity, whereas a coin authenticates itself. On the other hand it costs a little more per gram and does not exist in the large formats: to place a large sum as close as possible to the market price, the 500 gram or one kilo bar remains more efficient. We set out this reasoning in our article on choosing the weight of a bar, and the whole range can be seen in the shop.
Tax on the 50 pesos
The 50 pesos meets the criteria for investment gold: a fineness above 900, a striking later than 1800, legal tender status in its country of origin. It is therefore exempt from VAT on purchase, and holding it entails no taxation. On sale, two regimes are open to you. The flat-rate tax of 11.5% applies to the sale amount, from the first euro, with nothing to prove: it is the default regime. Taxation on the actual gain comes to 36.2% including social levies, but bears only on the gain, with an allowance of 5% for each year held beyond the second, that is a full exemption after twenty-two years. It does require being able to prove the date and the price of purchase, so keep your invoices. A coin held for a long time and bought with proof can be sold with no tax at all, whereas the same coin with no proof of origin will be taxed at 11.5% of the sale price even if it has gained nothing.
Buying a 50 pesos
Our prices follow the gold price continuously and are recalculated automatically, which is why they change from one visit to the next. The price of the day and availability appear on the 50 Pesos gold listing, and delivery is by insured specialist carrier. For a large order or a question about the coin, the simplest thing is to contact us.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a Mexican 50 pesos gold coin worth?
Its value follows the gold price. Apply the fineness of 900 to its gross weight of 41.67 grams, then multiply by the day’s gold price per gram, and add a modest premium to that amount. Since the coin holds more metal than a one ounce coin, it is one of the most expensive current gold coins per piece.
How much does a 50 pesos gold coin weigh?
41.67 grams, at a fineness of 900, with a diameter of 37 millimetres and a thickness of 2.8 millimetres. It is the heaviest current gold coin on the market, which earned it the nickname of mini bar.
Why are all the 50 pesos dated 1947?
Because the Casa de Moneda de México restruck the coin from 1949 to 1972, 3,975,654 pieces in all, keeping the date 1947. These restrikes are twelve times more numerous than the coins actually struck that year. The metal, the weight and the fineness being identical, the value is the same.
Which date of 50 pesos is the most sought after?
The 1921, because it is the first year of striking and the year of the centenary of independence. For every other date, the value is that of the gold contained.
How much is a 1945 2 pesos gold coin worth?
Its value is that of its gold: 1.67 grams at a fineness of 900, multiplied by the day’s price per gram, plus a relatively high premium tied to its small format. The date 1945 is the most common, the coin having been restruck from 1951 to 1972, more than four and a half million pieces keeping that date.
Is the 50 pesos exempt from VAT?
Yes. It meets the criteria for investment gold: a fineness above 900, a striking later than 1800, legal tender status in its country of origin. Buying it is therefore exempt from VAT, and holding it entails no taxation.
How can I check that a 50 pesos is genuine?
Check the weight, 41.67 grams, the diameter, 37 millimetres, and the thickness, 2.8 millimetres: the density of gold means a fake rarely respects all three at once. Then check that the edge carries the inscription “INDEPENDENCIA Y LIBERTAD” and that the reverse carries “37,5 Gr. ORO PURO”. Since gold is not magnetic, a magnet that grips settles the question immediately.
