The Coin That Left Me Gobsmacked—Am I a Descendant of Pirates?

Hey, Hivians! This is my first post in the SSG-community, and I’m thrilled to share this little story here.

A few months ago, I casually peeked over as my mom was opening her collection box. Normally, I wouldn’t care much about its contents, but something in there made my eyebrows shoot up. Inside the box were a few old coins that, according to her, were family heirlooms passed down through generations.

Out of all the ancient-looking coins, there was one that instantly caught my eye. I swear, I’m not exaggerating! Its surface was adorned with the image of an angel (well, I assumed it was an angel because it had wings), standing gracefully with a mountain in the background. There was a big inscription saying “50 PESO” and the year “1821.” I just stood there, stunned. 1821? Is this a coin or a fossil?!

Later, while browsing through a Hive post by @silversaver888, I suddenly remembered that intriguing coin I saw. With my mom’s permission, I took a photo of it and gave it another good look.

On closer inspection, the coin was clearly old, but it still had this dazzling shine. Reading the inscription ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS, it seemed to be Mexican. But wait—how did a vintage Mexican peso coin end up in my family? Could I be the descendant of pirates who hunted for Mexican treasures? Hmm, who knows! After all, my ancestors were famous for being master sailors with their majestic phinisi ships.

Curiosity got the best of me, and I started researching the coin online. Turns out, it’s not just old but also valuable! This is a Centenario, a gold coin minted to commemorate 100 years of Mexico’s independence from Spain. The year 1821 refers to Mexico’s independence, while 1947 is the minting year. Now that I think about it, if this coin really dated back to 1821, how would it have even reached my family when my country didn’t exist yet?

The coin’s symbolism is also incredible. The angel on the front represents victory, with a laurel wreath signifying success and a broken chain symbolizing freedom. Whoa, so philosophical! On the back, there’s an eagle clutching a snake—Mexico’s national emblem. My first thought? “An eagle eating a snake? Straight out of a National Geographic episode!” But seriously, the design is stunning.

What left me even more amazed was learning that the coin contains 37.5 grams of pure gold. Okay, so it’s not just old, but also worth a fortune! I checked its value on eBay and was blown away. Amazing. Honestly, the coin’s value is way more than all the Hive Power I’ve been building up for nearly four years. Jealous yet? But of course, this is a family heirloom, so I wouldn’t dare to mess with it.

Here’s the detail I found online.

Specifications	Detail
Country	Mexico
Weight	37.50g
Series	Mexican Peso
Mint	Banco de México
Purity	900/1000
Currency	Mexican Peso
Face value	50
Diameter, mm	37.00
Thickness, mm	2.70

Source : Link

Sorry if the photo’s not that clear, probably because of the tricky angle and some shadows causing a little drama.

To this day, I still don’t know exactly how this coin ended up in my family. Maybe back in the ’60s or ’70s, my relatives just thought of it as an ordinary gold coin without realizing its history. But now, I know it’s a symbol of struggle, victory, and freedom—values my family has always cherished.

Aside from this coin, the collection box has other treasures, like old local currencies and vintage stamps. I’ll share those in another post. There are even stamps from the 1960s! Back then, those probably had great value when letter writing was a big thing. But in today’s internet age, are they even relevant? Well, who knows—maybe someday those stamps will become valuable collectibles too.

So yeah, when people say “family heirlooms are priceless,” believe them. I’m living proof of it. And honestly, who wouldn’t want a gold coin this ancient? Not only does it have historical value, but it could also serve as an emergency shield if my wallet suddenly runs dry. But don’t worry, I’m not selling it. Family heirlooms, they say, are worth more than money. (Unless, of course, that “money” is a 50 Peso Centenario. Am I right? Hehe!)

By the way, I’d like to ask for permission to feature this banner in my post. If it’s not okay, just let me know so I don’t get too carried away. 😅