Casa de Moneda (Mexican Mint) has produced one kilo silver coins inspired by one of the world’s most impressive archaeological treasures.
The 2009 Aztec Calendar Silver Kilo Coins feature the Aztec Calendar stone. It is thought that the Aztec calendar stone was carved in 1479, and was eventually buried under the central square of Mexico City until it was discovered in 1790. The stone measures about 12 feet in diameter, 4 feet in thickness, and weighs over 22 tons.
The stone may have been a monument or possibly a sacrificial altar. The sun god Tonatuih is in the center; each of his hands holds a human heart. The god is surrounded by four squares that represent previous creations that perished by jaguars, wind, rain and water. Next come representations of the Aztec calendar consisting of 18 months, each 20 days long, plus 5 “unlucky” days adding up to a 365-day year. Finally, there are head-to-head snakes with the date of the carving indicated between the tails.
The Aztec Calendar is depicted on the obverse of the one kilo silver coins with the 11 National Shields pictured on the reverse. The proof like quality coins are minted in 99.9% silver with a legal tender value of $100. Just 1,500 will be produced. These are among the world’s largest coins, weighing 1 kilogram (2.68 troy pounds) and measuring 110 mm. (over 4 inches) in diameter.
The 2009 Aztec Calendar Silver Kilo Coins are offered by the official American distributor Panda America for $1,295 plus $20 for shipping. Each coin comes with an individually numbered Certificate of Authenticity, an informative 65-page fully illustrated book, and a custom museum-quality display stand.