The birth of the Royal Mint of Mexico

Its creation was vital given the strategic importance of New Spain as a commercial and goods transit epicenter, elevating our currency to a status of international acceptance and renown, both for the excellence of the minting of its products only for the purity of the silver used. , consolidating its reputation which still continues today.

The casting tests carried out in 1536 gave birth to the first coins, called “Charles and Juana”. Since then, the Mexican Mint has been an active protagonist in the technological evolution of the production of fine metal coins.

By using flywheel presses, streamlining and perfecting the minting process, a technological revolution was fostered that gave rise to innovative pieces acclaimed for their beauty, such as the Columns. Which, combined with cutting-edge security measures, such as rope-on-wire to prevent money theft, has boosted confidence in the international market.

Over the years, the Mexican Mint has maintained a constant commitment to providing a secure means of exchange adapted to economic circumstances. Currently, it remains at the cutting edge of technology, which places it among the best in the world. A recent example is the incorporation of advanced security features in 20 peso commemorative coins since 2020, such as microtext and latent image, comparable to practices used by the prestigious mints of the United Kingdom and Canada.

The process of assembling Mexican bimetallic and trimetallic coins, including the $20 commemorative coins, is characteristic of the Mexican Mint.

Latent Image is a security device that reveals an image based on the tilt and position of the part, reflecting a meticulous process that uses high-end tools and lasers, giving parts a virtually tamper-proof level.

In addition to the certainty that the Mexican Mint offers through its high standards of quality and security, the beauty of its designs has been recognized throughout history.

The numerous awards obtained by the Mint, from the “Iberoamérica-Encuentro de dos mundos” coin in 1991 to the commemorative coins of 2022, testify to its artistic and technical excellence. Participation in international conferences, such as the Banknote and Currency Conference, underlines its global prestige.

The appropriate destination to further immerse yourself in the historical richness of the Mexican Mint is the National Numismatic Museum, managed by the institution.

Walking through the mint rooms or the forge, one cannot help but imagine the sound of metals colliding, the hammers and machines in motion, the wheels and the creaking, as if inhabited by a rumor that arises from the silence, echo of agitation. and the hustle and bustle that must have been the daily life of coiners when the current Museum was the headquarters of the Mexican Mint.

The Casa de Apartado has undergone various changes over more than 350 years of industrial life with various adaptations, perhaps one of the most important has been the process of transformation into a museum. For the first time in its history, the site ceases to be a factory. This meant that its staff changed activities and that its machines and work utensils began to be understood beyond the framework of production. By becoming a museum, the property has explored new ways of being and adapted to them. In recent years it has become a space for analysis and knowledge of both numismatics and part of Mexican manufacturing heritage, but it also constitutes a safeguard of the collective memory of workers and a point of cultural connection with the inhabitants of the region. it turns out. In its rooms, professional life and work instruments are shown, through photographs, which have acquired a new character as testimony not only to an industrial horizon, but also as part of the life stories that make up this space. From now on, they are no longer objects and factory workspaces, but accelerators for the construction of memory.

From its beginnings, the Casa del Apartado property was linked to factory work. In the 17th century it was linked to the separation of gold and silver, the process of which included the manufacture of glass, nitric acid and copper sulfate. His establishment gave his name to the street which remains as Apartado. After its reconstruction, this space also housed the fourth headquarters of the Mint, combining its functions with the Section until 1906. Thus, the production of metallic money was carried out in this factory for more than 140 years (1850-1992).

The growing needs for minting and technological updating limited this property and its facilities, so in 1970 it was necessary to inaugurate a new Mint located in a complex located in Calzada de Legaria. A few years later, in 1983, another factory located in the state of San Luis Potosí began operating, in which, since 2000, the current total production of Mexican currency is concentrated.