1875 Mexico 2 Centavos

The 1875 2 Centavos coin was struck during Mexico's push for monetary stability, using copper planchets that likely came from recycled sources to cut costs in a cash-strapped government.

Its design is straightforward: the obverse shows the Mexican coat of arms, with an eagle perched on a cactus, devouring a serpent. The reverse simply states the denomination and year. No fancy embellishments here—just functional engraving for everyday use.

Mintage figures for this coin are murky; records from the Mexico City mint were often incomplete. That said, it circulated widely as small change in rural areas, where copper held its value better than paper notes.

One oddity: some specimens show uneven strikes, as if the dies were wearing out fast. Perhaps the mint workers were as fatigued as I am after decades of examining these.