Search This Blog

Monday 1 March 2021

1717) Montezuma II, The Last Great Emperor of the Aztec Empire (Mexico), Samoa: A $25 (Twenty-Five Dollars) Silver Coin commemorates the 500th Anniversary of the end of the mighty Aztec Empire: Year of Coin issue: 2021:

1717) Montezuma II, The Last Great Emperor of the Aztec Empire (Mexico), Samoa: A $25 (Twenty-Five Dollars) Silver Coin commemorates the 500th Anniversary of the end of the mighty Aztec Empire: Year of Coin issue: 2021:

In 1502, Montezuma was the ninth Aztec Emperor of Mexico, taking over for his uncle Ahuitzotl. 

In 1521, Spanish invaders under the Conquistador Hernán Cortéz captured Montezuma II and overran his vast Empire, bringing an end to the last great ancient/native civilization of Mesoamerica whose understanding of the nature's cycles, astronomy, sciences, culture etc was far superior than that of the conquistadors, who were more in the nature of thieves and freebooters, who made little effort to understand the Aztec customs, sciences & culture and destroyed/obliterated a civilisation that was far superior to their own.

The Coin:

The Reverse and Obverse of the $25 (Twenty Five Dollars) Silver Coin placed side-by-side.

On the Reverse of the $25 (Twenty-five Dollars), there is a depiction of Montezuma II, the Great Emperor of the Aztec Empire and the last emperor to serve for any length of time. The word - "AZTEC" is inscribed in stylised font.

Additional Aztec patterns and symbols surround the outer layer. 

In the center of the coin is placed an image of an Aztec calendar. Also known as the "Tonalpohualli" or “Counting the Days,” this calendar formed a 260-day cycle, and had been used since ancient times in Mesoamerica.

The Coin has a stunning three-dimensional effect that is enhanced by the antiqued finish.

The Obverse of the $25 (Twenty Five Dollars) Silver Coin shows an effigy of Queen Elizabeth II facing right designed by Ian Rank-Broadley, whose initials "IRB" are engraved below the Queen's neck.

The peripheral inscriptions are - "SAMOA. 1 kg. Ag 999. 25 DOLLARS". In between the inscriptions on the lower periphery is the Samoan Coat Of Arms/Emblem.

The specifications of this Coin are:

Country of issue: Samoa; Coin Theme: "500th Anniversary of the end of the Aztec Empire"; Year: 2021; Denomination/Face Value: $25 (Twenty-Five Dollars); Metal Composition: .999 Fineness Silver (Ag); Weight: 1000 grams or 1.0 kilogram; Diameter/Size: 100.0 mm; Coin Quality: A unique multilayered antiqued finish that gives the coin a stunning three-dimensional effect; Mintage: 199 pieces; Special Technique: Ultra High Relief; Presentation Box/Case: Yes; Certificate of Authenticity (COA): Yes; Legal Tender: Yes, in Samoa.




Links to some other interesting posts from South American countries & Mexico:

1) The Evolution of Mexican Coinage

24) Bolivar Soberano (or "Sovereign Bolivar"), Venezuela: (2018 Series of Banknotes) introduced by Banco de National, the Central Bank of Venezuela on 20.08.2018 









4 comments: