Carranza Peso

The Carranza Peso, issued in 1915 and 1916 under revolutionary leader Venustiano Carranza, was frequently struck on planchets salvaged from melted Spanish reales, a makeshift approach amid Mexico's civil strife.

That recycling wasn't just thrifty; it reflected the era's scarcity of fresh materials, as Carranza's forces scrambled to stabilize currency in a fractured nation. Mintage figures remain murky, with some records likely destroyed in later conflicts. The coin's design featured a simple eagle and serpent motif, echoing earlier Mexican pesos but adapted for the provisional government.

Obverse legends varied slightly by mint, possibly in Chihuahua or other northern sites, though exact locations are debated among historians. Carranza himself probably never handled one, too busy with battles.

As for myths, like the tale that these pesos funded secret arms deals—well, let's just say I've seen enough to know exaggeration often outpaces fact.