2017-07-22 Sat

Jose Victoriano came into power during the Mexican revolution, which gave birth to a fantastic numismatic rarity. A pattern for the MUERA HUERTA peso, even rarer than the coin it presaged, is crossing the auction block in Denver during the Heritage Auctions Platinum Night sale at the American Numismatic Association World’s Fair of Money.

The coin is named for the Spanish inscription on the reverse, calling for the death (“muera”) of Huerta.

Gen. Huerta was a Federal Army commander, who worked with President Francisco l. Madero but later on betrayed him and joined hands with anti-Madero conspirators. Huerta, a counter-revolutionary, became president in February 1913 supported by conservative elements in Mexico and some foreign powers. Mexico had a tough time during the Mexican revolution as people battled among themselves to gain power. Huerta as a president was a terrible dictator as he killed many people, who spoke against him. Many people despised him and those fighting to defeat him raised slogans like “death to Huerta,” or “muera Huerta”.

In the Mexican Revolutionary Coinage 1913-1917, Hugh Guthrie wrote that Huerta was brought to power as many believed that with him coming to power, Mexico would finally turn to peace but they were wrong as Huerta only brought terror and violence with him. “Open, armed rebellion broke out almost at once, led by such men as [Álvaro] Obregon in the Northwest, [Venustiano] Carranzo in the West, [Pancho] Villa in the North and Center, [Emiliano] Zapata in the South and [Salvador] Alvarado in the Yucatan.”

The Muera Huerta peso instantly became popular among various coins. Huerta’s violent term came to an end after Villa’s great victory at Zacatecas in June 1914. Three weeks after the battle Huerta surrendered his position and fled the country. The pattern peso, issued in 1914 and struck in copper, was made in the state of Durango, commissioned by two of Villa’s generals. Legend suggests that some of Villa’s troops received the coins in payment for their service.

The pattern’s obverse depicts a liberty cap with rays surrounding it. The name of the United States of Mexico and the denomination in Spanish, accompanied by the year date at bottom legend with three stars surrounding on each side.

The reverse references the issuing authority, indicated by GOB. PROVISIONAL (meaning “provisional government”) with MUERA HUERTA at centre; EJERCITO CONSTITUCIONALISTA (“constitutional army”) at upper legend, wreath at lower border.

The adopted design features an eagle on cactus motif on the reverse.

The example in the Heritage auction features a plain edge.

Graded Very Fine 20 brown by Numismatic Guaranty Corp., the pattern displays “moderate wear mixed with heavy handling as is typical of the survivors,” according to Heritage, and has an estimate of $5,000 to $8,000.