2.5 Peso Mexico Gold Coin | 1918 - 1948

2.5 Pesos, Mexico

2.0833 g gross, 900 fine, 1.875 g of pure gold, 15.5 mm across, with a reeded edge. Exactly half the 5 Pesos in every dimension of weight and metal.

Specifications

Obverse and reverse

The obverse carries the arms of Mexico — the eagle on a cactus devouring a serpent — with ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS.

The reverse shows the bust of Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla facing left, the priest who began the Mexican war of independence in 1810, with the denomination, the date and the Mo mintmark of the Mexico City mint. Engraved by Albino del Moral.

Restrikes, and why the date matters

Mexico restruck these coins for decades with a frozen date, at the Casa de Moneda in Mexico City. Most examples on the market carry that one date and were struck years after it. They are official government issues, not copies, and they contain exactly the gold stated — but they are not scarce, and they should not be priced as though they were.

If you want a genuine circulation-era piece, the date on the coin is what tells you.

A very small coin

At 15.5 mm this is one of the smallest gold coins in regular circulation anywhere. That makes it easy to lose and easy to damage, so it is dispatched in a capsule. It also means the premium per gram is high: the mint’s cost of striking barely falls with the size of the coin.

Exactly 900, and why that matters

HMRC’s test for investment gold is a fineness of not less than 900 thousandths. This coin is exactly 900. It clears the threshold, but with nothing to spare — a coin a shade below that line would attract VAT as a collectable rather than being treated as investment gold.

VAT and UK capital gains tax

HMRC treats a coin minted after 1800 as investment gold if it is at least 900 thousandths fine, is or has been legal tender in its country of origin, and normally sells at no more than 180 per cent of the open market value of its gold (VAT Notice 701/21A). The 2.5 Pesos is 900 fine, was Mexican legal tender and is sold close to the gold price, so it meets all three tests.

Capital gains tax is a separate matter. The UK exemption follows sterling legal tender, so it covers Sovereigns and Britannias but not a Mexican coin. This is a statement of the published rule, not tax advice — your own position depends on your circumstances.

Questions buyers ask

How much gold does it contain? 1.875 g of pure gold at 900 fineness.

Are restrikes genuine coins? Yes, struck by the Mexican state mint from official dies. Most surviving pieces are restrikes.

Why is the premium high? Because striking a very small coin costs almost as much as striking a large one.

Which date will I receive? A mixed date as available.

Authenticity checked at GoldInvest24 before dispatch. Other sizes are on the historic gold coins page. Live quotes on the precious metals prices page.