The Mexican Civil War of 1910 - 1920

Also known as The Mexican Revolution


According to "Flags of the World" website

Mexican Revolutionary flags (ca. 1910 - ca. 1938)
featured the skull and crossbones upon a black field.

This was used by many different Revolutionary Armies
and perhaps the intent was to intimidate or signify "No Quarter Given" for Govenment (Federalist) forces.

v1b

Mexico Repbl.
Central Am. Map
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Tricolor Compendium of Mexican Revolutionary Coinage
three volumes
by Carlos Abel Amaya Guerra
I highly recommend the book on the left. It is well written and seems very authoritative as well as providing an excellent background to the Mexican Civil War.

Here is also a link to someone who knows about Mexican history.

Don Bailey's website

Campo Morado (Insurgant forces)
2 Pesos 1915
Karl Stephens, July 2006.

Interestingly this coin states that it contains a small amount of gold and is marked "ORO [gold] : 0.595". It definately has a different color than a pure silver coin. The coin weight is ~24 g and not .595 g as indicated in Krause. This is a silver dollar sized coin with a vertical reeded edge. These 2 Pesos all seem to have striking problems although I've seen single Pesos of this type nicely struck.
It should be noted that in Latin America {I recall with Peru}, the silver coinage could contain "up to 3% gold". It wasn't just a question of having the knowledge to remove it. It the 19th century, removal of these gold traces during silver refining was apparently quite energy intensive. Thus if the value of the recovered gold was less than the estimated fuel costs for the higher temperature needed for refining it, it was left in place.

In the early 20th century{actually the late 19th} better refining methods were developed but they may not have been available in Revolutionary Mexico.

"Guerro Peso"
, 1915, ms
(Sedwicks Auction)

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Chihuaha Peso"
1915, ms
(Sedwicks Auction)

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"Peso de Bolita"
Parrel Peso, 1913, ms-62
(Heritage auction)
This is a coin that I do not own. It's shown here as an example of the 1st Revolutionary coinage issued for Poncho Villa. It was issued by General Maclovio Herrera in the city of Parral, State of Chihuahua.

This type, with the ball over the 1 and Peso is known as a "Peso de bolita".

Fortunately there were also types without the ball, which appear to have been made by the same people at the same time which are much more common and are even readily available in mint state. These are usually much more weakly struck as it was said that the strong striking of the bolitas shattered the die.



Chihuaha Peso"
Parrel Peso, 1913, ms-62
(Heritage Auction)

This is the Poncho Villa Peso, non-Bolito version. These are almost always more weakly struck than the Bolitos.

This specimen was cleaned, however, was very well struck.



Mexico Repbl.
Central Am. Map
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