Distributors (PDF)

The Millennium Coin Collection is a project designed by the Banco de México in order to commemorate the arrival of the year 2000 and the transition to the Third Millennium. For this reason on January 4th of 1999 it organized a contest, where he summoned the artistic community to participate in the First National Contest of Numismatic Design. As a result of this contest, the winning designs of the three competed subjects, were used for minting each of the three coins of 1 ounce, whereas the fourth coin was designed by the Mexican Mint (Casa de Moneda de México).

Mahogany case

It is important to indicate that the mintage of these coins is limited to seventy-five thousand coins of each one, from which ten thousand collections will be sold in their mahogany case (these include 1 coin of 2 oz. and 3 of 1 ounce each), and the remaining coins with individual acrylic pedestals.

Individual presentation

Coins description

Mexico's history during the second millennium

Reproduction of a pre-Hispanic piece of gold work from the Mixtec-Zapotec culture, which represents the profile of an eagle´s head with three coiled serpents on the upper part.

Reverse

The role of man in the preservation of nature on the face of a change of millennium

A monarch butterfly formed by different elements found in nature, such as a macaw, a dove, a humming bird, a fish, a periwinkle, a palm-tree, a couple of dolphins and the water. Two dry twigs surround the butterfly, while a pair of hands symbolize the human being´s responsability towards the environment.

Reverse

Peace in the world towards the third millennium

A figure that represents the fusion of a hand with a dove. An olive branch detaches from it, enclosing a space; there are five leaves in the outer curve, representing the five continents and trying to express the kind of union required to achieve peace in the world. As a continuity symbol, in the lower part the numbers 1999 and 2000 are fused.

Reverse

Mexico during the second millenium

Reproduction of the Library at the UNAM (The National University of México), the aqueduct of Queretaro and the Mayan Observatory. Surrounding these three architectonic masterworks, the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl, in the form of a feathered serpent, appears.

Reverse

Coins obverse

In the center, the National Shield in sculptured relief surrounded with the legend "Estados Unidos Mexicanos". Surrounding it, and following the contour of the frame, the reproduction of different shields used throughout the history of our country, including the eagle that is in the center of the front page of the Codex Mendocino.

Common obverse

Winners of the First National Contest of Numismatic Design

Olga María Vega de Ochoa

First place winner on the subject "Mexico's history during the second millennium".

She was born in the city of Querétaro. At the time of the contest, she studied graphic design and watercolor painting. She also studied plastic arts in Indiana, USA, and painting and restoration of artworks in Florence, Italy.

Francisco Ortega Romero

First place winner on the subject "The role of man in the preservation of nature on the face of a change of millennium".

Francisco was born in Mexico City. At the time of the contest, he worked as a graphic designer in Querétaro. He has also worked as a creative director, sketch producer and illustrator; he has also obtained first prizes in several contests on image and poster design.

Omar Jiménez Torres

First place winner on the subject "Peace in the world towards the third millennium".

He was born in Mexico City. He worked as an assistant of the creative director of a design company. At the time of the contest, he worked as a graphic designer and high school professor. He also designs cartoons in a weekly magazine.

Technical information