1835 Mexico 2 Escudos

The 1835 2 Escudos from Mexico was struck using gold likely sourced from the country's northern mines, a practical reuse of resources amid the fledgling republic's economic scramble.

That makes it a small but significant artifact of Mexico's post-independence era, weighing in at about 3.41 grams of pure gold on a standard planchet. The obverse typically shows the Mexican eagle perched on a cactus, devouring a serpent—straightforward symbolism without the romantic fluff. We know it was minted in Mexico City, but exact production numbers? Those went up in smoke during an 1838 fire that devoured many records.

Design-wise, it's a no-frills piece, with the date squeezed into the exergue and the denomination clear enough for merchants. If you're handling one, note the edge reeding, which was meant to foil clippers but often didn't. Collectors might quibble over varieties, but that's their problem.