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Mexico's Central Bank, the Banco de Mexico, has ample reserves of some $50 billion U.S. dollars. Indeed, President Vicente Fox of Mexico declared some months ago, that "we really don't know what to do with them, they are so large." Using a small part of these reserves, the Banco de Mexico could purchase silver for coining "Libertad" pure silver ounces. These coins could be placed into circulation as legal tender money, with a floating value which would be quoted daily by the Banco de Mexico. The floating value would be determined by taking the international price of silver, presently quoted in dollars, multiplying this price by the exchange rate of the Mexican peso for dollars, and adding on a small percentage of seignorage for the Banco de Mexico. This would be the legal tender value for the one ounce, no nominal (engraved) value, pure silver "Libertad" coin. Banco de Mexico could put these into circulation, by exactly the same means which it presently uses to put bills and coins into circulation. (In 2002, the Banco de Mexico added $39 billion pesos - some $3.7 billion dollars - to the Mexican bills and coins in circulation) Thus, the silver "Libertad" ounce would enter circulation along with other bills and coins, through the banking system. The value of the "Libertad" coin would be a floating value, and only a coin like the "Libertad" can have a floating value, because it has no nominal value stamped on it. A stamped or engraved value on a silver or gold coin, is an insuperable obstacle to circulation, active or passive, because the actually floating value of silver and gold makes any silver or gold coin with a stamped value obsolete as money, the moment it is coined. Such a coin will usually be issued with a "face value" or nominal value far in excess of its actual intrinsic worth. It offers very little protection from devaluation, to the holder, because of this circumstance. And the final destination of such coinage, is the smelter, to which it is doomed whenever the intrinsic value of the silver or gold, rises above the nominal or face value stamped upon it and expressed in a number of units of paper money. A silver coin can only endure indefinitely in circulation, if it has no nominal value. And the "Libertad" is such a coin. It would acquire full legal tender status, by means of a daily quote for such value, by the Banco de Mexico. It would thus be money, along with the paper bills and base metal coins presently in circulation. If the price of silver rises sufficiently, the floating value of the coin will increase. Two buffers avoid a constant modification of the floating legal tender value: the first buffer, is the seignorage of the Banco de Mexico, who can accept some fluctuation in the cost of the silver being coined; the second buffer, arises from the fact that the legal tender value is to be expressed in round figures ending in zero or in five. That is, $75 pesos, or $80 pesos, or $90 pesos, etc. If the exchange value of the peso declines, the floating value of the coin will increase. The same buffers avoid a daily modification of the legal tender value. What if the price of silver declines, or if the peso appreciates against the dollar, as it has in fact been doing? In this case, our proposal is that a floating legal tender value, once established by the Banco de Mexico, shall not be reduced. It is absolutely necessary that a coin to be used as money - whether actively or passively, whether in trade or as hoarded savings - shall not be reduced in its legal tender value. A $100 pesos paper money bill cannot be turned into a $90 peso bill. And a silver coin, with a quoted value, cannot be subjected to a reduction in its legal tender value, without destroying confidence in that coin as money. A floating quoted legal tender value for the coin, must under no circumstances be reduced. A stable quoted value of the silver coin, if the price of silver declines, only means that the Banco de Mexico is obtaining a higher seignorage or profit in minting this coin. If the exchange value of the peso were to rise considerably, then the same amount of pesos would buy more dollars. The purchase of dollars would certainly not arise from the exchange of "Libertad" coins, which would purchase more dollars if the holder wished to purchase them with these coins. The purchaser of dollars will choose to use his paper money to buy dollars, and only use "Libertad" coins to purchase dollars as a last resort, because of the higher quality of the silver money. Lesser quality money is used for trade, higher quality money is kept back as savings. The Banco de Mexico would never see a "flight from silver" into either the paper pesos it issues, or dollars in its reserves. The "Libertad" coin would circulate - actively in trade or passively as savings - with no problem at all, along with the paper money Mexico currently uses, and which Mexico will most probably continue to use for many years to come. The advantages and incentive to savings provided by a silver coin, are obvious. Holding "Libertad" coins under this proposal, would become true investment in savings, and not speculation regarding future rises in price, as at present, since the silver money would be useable along with paper, for trade, at any moment the holder desired to use it thus. No longer would it be necessary to find a buyer for his silver coins, as at present. The "Libertad" becomes money. The quantity of silver money that could be put into circulation in Mexico in this way, is practically unlimited. Silver, a traditionally Mexican money, is the clearest avenue open to Mexico. Though not the central objective of monetizing silver, undoubtedly the coinage of large amounts of "Libertad" coins, which would be eagerly accepted by all Mexicans, would impact upon the price of silver, and be of great benefit to Mexican mining, which is providing large amounts of silver to the world markets, at ridiculously low prices, to the detriment of Mexican mining and the Mexican economy, which is hungry for a mass means of savings in a medium which will guarantee the conservation of value through the years. Libertad (coin) 2008 One Ounce Silver Libertad coin, New design(Back).Libertad coins are silver and gold mexican bullion coins Design The coins are .999 fine silver or fine gold. On one side of the coin is a winged Victoria of Mexican Independence Victory Column in front of a landscape with the volcanoes Popocatépetl and Iztaccihuatl. The opposite side shows the coat of arms of Mexico. The new version has the Independence Angel in another angle, and the opposite side shows the coat of arms of Mexico surrounded by historical mexican coats of arms. The original design is based in Centenario gold mexican coin. Mexican Silver Libertad Coin One ounce silver coins from Mexico The Mexican Silver Libertad coin is a coin that any coin collector would love to have in their collection. Although silver libertad coin was released in 1949 by the Mexican government, its production was discontinued for several years and ultimately resumed in 1978. The original silver coin shows us a winged Victoria which is standing atop the Mexican independence victory column in front of an interesting landscape of volcanoes and seemingly dry land. The opposite side of this coin is home to the Mexican coat of arms featuring a Mexican golden eagle atop a cactus gulping down a snake with a mixed meaning and on the newer version is surrounded by the various historical Mexican coats of arms with the Independence Angel on the opposing side on a column in Mexico City. With such a meticulous design these Mexican silver libertad coins have earned a distinct place for themselves. To Europeans, this represents the great triumph of good above evil while to religious believers it carries a different meaning all together. It is said that originally, the design showed no snake however in today’s variations, a snake is certainly present. With a design primarily based off of the Centenario gold Mexican coin, the Mexican Silver Libertad Coin is among favorites. Every year its appearance and pattern is altered in order to attract more and more collectors. With its historical meanings and ancient touches it continues to wow coin collectors everywhere. Since 1991 the Mexican Silver Libertad coins have ranged in sizes from 1/20 of an ounce to 1 kilo of fine silver and have always featured the greatest symbols of Mexican history. These coins have always been popular including in their glory golden days and continue to be a favorite among people everywhere. The Mexican Libertad series features a one-ounce silver bullion coin that has been produced in years when other Onza Troy de Plata (Troy Ounce of Silver) Mexican coins were not being minted. The obverse of the coin has gone through some minor changes, but has always featured the Independence Angel that is the symbol of Mexico City. The design is very similar to the Mexican 50 Peso. The Angel stands in front of the Iztaccíhuatl and Popocatéptl volcanoes. The fineness and amount of silver, the date, and the name of the issuing country (“MEXICO”) are all listed. The reverse is also similar to the 50 Peso. The center of the coin features an eagle battling a snake, surrounded by a wreath and the words “ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS”. Issues have had either reeded or milled edges. Slight changes to design and lettering have occurred over the years.
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