Mexico

Mexican Silver Libertads are .999 fine silver and are some of the most beautiful silver coins in the world. The obverse of the Silver Libertad coin features the Mexican Coat of Arms symbol of an eagle atop a cactus, clutching a serpent in its beak. Surrounding the eagle are a wreath and the official name of Mexico in Spanish: "Estados Unidos Mexicanos."

The reverse depicts two key symbols of the Mexican people: Independence Angel and the Mexican volcanoes Popocatepetl and Iztaccihautl. Appearing in the forefront, Independence Angel is a historic monument for the Mexican people and is considered the symbol of Mexico City. The Mexican volcanoes pictured in the background of the reverse memorialize the legend of the two lovers from whom they were named.

According to a Pre-Columbian legend, a warrior named Popocatepetl fell in love with Iztaccihautl, a king’s daughter, and earned a tentative marriage blessing from the king, on the condition that he win a battle against a rival tribe. While the battle delayed the warrior, a rival suitor started a rumor that Popocatepetl had been killed in the battle, and the fair maiden died of a broken heart. Upon finally returning as the victor from the battle, Popocatepetl discovered the fate of his lover and buried her on top of a mountain range that assumed the shape of a sleeping lady in honor of the dead maiden. Grief-stricken, Popocatepetl climbed an adjacent mountain in order to keep eternal watch over his beloved. Today, the depiction of the volcanoes on the Libertad coin still tells the lovers' story.