1866 Provisional 1 Centavo
Mexico
1866
Reference data compiled from public catalogs
Estimated Melt Value
$0.03
Based on Copper spot price ($6.07/oz) · 95.0% purity · 2.5g
Updated 5:58 AM
Collector premium not included
Specifications
| Country | Mexico |
| Years Minted | 1866 |
| Composition | Copper |
| Weight | 2.5 g |
| Diameter | 20 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Plain |
Design
Obverse
Features the bust of Emperor Maximilian I facing right.
Reverse
Displays the value '1 CENTAVO' within a wreath, with the date 1866 below.
History & Notable Facts
The 1866 Provisional 1 Centavo was struck using copper recycled from older Spanish coins, a makeshift approach during the chaos of Maximilian's brief rule.
That recycling wasn't just thrifty; it reflected the empire's desperate need to keep small change circulating amid rebellion and foreign meddling. Mintage figures are murky—records from that era often vanished in later conflicts—so we can't pin down exact numbers.
Design-wise, it's a simple copper piece with a crowned eagle on one side and the denomination on the other, devoid of the pomp you'd expect from an emperor's coinage.
It's ironic that this coin, born of haste, has survived longer than the regime that produced it.
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