How to Identify the Mexican Emperor Maximilian Peso

What It Is

This silver peso was struck during the brief Second Mexican Empire under Maximilian I, an Austrian archduke installed as emperor of Mexico with French support in the mid-1860s. Because his reign lasted only a few years before he was overthrown and executed, coins bearing his portrait were struck for a short window and represent a distinct, historically notable chapter in Mexican coinage.

Obverse Design

The obverse shows a bust portrait of Maximilian in profile, with the legend "MAXIMILIANO EMPERADOR" and the date around the rim.

Reverse Design

The reverse displays the Mexican eagle, shown perched and often topped with an imperial crown reflecting the empire's status, with the legend "IMPERIO MEXICANO" and the denomination.

Size, Weight, Metal, and Edge

This is a crown-size silver coin, roughly 37 mm in diameter and about 27 grams, struck in approximately .903 fine silver, consistent with Mexican peso coinage of the surrounding decades. The edge is typically lettered or reeded depending on the specific issue.

Mint Marks

Look for the "Mo" mintmark (Mexico City) along with assayer initials near the base of the design, standard practice for Mexican coinage of this general period.

Telling It Apart From Similar Coins

This coin is easily distinguished from earlier and later Mexican Republic pesos by its imperial portrait and the word "EMPERADOR" in the legend, both features unique to the Maximilian era; Republic-era pesos instead show a standing or seated Liberty figure or an eagle without an imperial crown.

Judging Condition

Wear first appears on Maximilian's cheek, hair, and the high points of his collar or uniform, as well as on the eagle's crown and wingtips on the reverse. A coin with sharp facial detail and legible lettering is in notably better condition than one with a smoothed portrait.

Authenticity Red Flags

Given the historical significance and collector demand for coins from this short imperial period, watch for incorrect weight or diameter, a soft or mushy strike suggesting a cast copy, and a portrait or lettering that looks re-cut or inconsistent with genuine reference examples. A coin that does not ring clearly when gently spun, or that responds to a magnet, is not genuine silver.