Silver 5 Centavos 1905 MO MS 64

When this coin was minted, the Mexican Republic had recently regained control of Mexico after ending the Second Mexican Empire, which was instated by France. After his return to office, President Benito Juarez remained in power until he died in office in 1872. A short period of unrest followed, but ended with General Porfirio Diaz becoming president in 1876. The period from 1876 to 1911 is often called the Porfiriato, and is generally regarded as a dictatorship. During the Porfiriato, Mexico underwent modernization, with investments in infrastructure as well as the arts and sciences. The construction of railroads was especially transformative for the economy, as Mexico did not have a river system conducive to transportation and many roads were too dangerous to use during the rainy season. The public school system Juarez created was also expanded during this time. The Porfiriato ended as a result of the fraudulent 1910 elections, where Diaz was reported to have won nearly 99% of the vote despite candidate Francisco Madero’s popularity. Rebellion ensued, kicking off the Mexican Revolution.

Obverse: REPUBLICA MEXICANA 1904 (translation: Mexican Republic 1904) Mexican eagle perched on cactus eating a snake, with legend above and date below.

Reverse: Numerical denomination in the center, with mint-mark and purity above and a wreath below.

Reference: KM 400