1968 Mexico Olympic Commemorative

The 1968 Mexican Olympic commemorative coin was the first to integrate ancient Mesoamerican designs, like the Olmec colossal heads, with modern Olympic symbols on its silver planchet.

That blend came from artist Manuel Villalobos, who drew on indigenous motifs for the reverse, showing a ballplayer from Mexico's past alongside the Olympic rings. The obverse kept it straightforward with the national coat of arms. Struck at the Casa de Moneda in Mexico City, these coins used .720 fine silver, a standard for the era's pesos.

Exact mintage figures are murky; official records from that period weren't always reliable. What I do know is that production ramped up for international distribution, making them common in circulation at the time.

Some collectors still confuse them with regular currency. Pity the fool who spends one on coffee.