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MEXICO CIRCULATING COINS

50 Centavos

Two Generations. One Continuity.

First introduced with the modern peso in 1993, the 50-centavo denomination spans two very different objects. A larger, notched aluminium-bronze coin gave way to a small, round steel format in 2009. The reverse keeps its named Sun Stone motif, while size, weight and edge tell the generations apart.

Explore the Coin ↓View Specifications
Original generation · B / CFrom 1993 / 1996 · aluminium bronze
50-centavo bronze type, national arms obverse50-centavo bronze reverse, 2008 example
Obverse · Reverse
22 mm · 4.39 g · notched outline
Second generation · DFrom 2009 · stainless steel
50-centavo steel type, national arms obverse50-centavo steel reverse, 2012 example
Obverse · Reverse
17 mm · 3.103 g · round
4.39 / 3.103 gB/C · D nominal mass
22 / 17 mmB/C · D diameter
Notched / roundB/C · D outline
Bronze / steelB/C · D material
1993 / 2009Physical generations begin
Banco de MéxicoIssuer

Design Continuity

2008 50-centavo reverse, detail

The lower reverse ornament is the Sun Stone’s Anillo de la Aceptación. It continues across a substantial change of size and shape.

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Two Physical Generations

22 mm bronze 50-centavo reverse17 mm steel 50-centavo reverse

22 : 17 · Relative diameter

A 22 mm notched aluminium-bronze coin and a 17 mm round steel coin share the 50¢ value. The D format arrived in August 2009.

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In Daily Life

Small steel 50 centavos, 2012 example

Two make one peso. The newer steel format did not cancel the earlier coin: both physical generations retain their payment validity.

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LOOK CLOSER

The details behind the design

Identity, history and materials—read together.

01

Design Continuity

Both physical generations use a stylised Anillo de la Aceptación from the Sun Stone. The pattern follows the lower part of the reverse around the value 50¢. The 1995 transition circular explicitly says centavo designs remain unchanged apart from the mint year: the B-to-C boundary is not a new reverse design.

Exact reverse design reference
02

Two Physical Generations

The original aluminium-bronze coin measures 22 mm and weighs 4.39 g. Its twelve-sided outline has notches and a plain edge. The steel D coin measures 17 mm and weighs 3.103 g, with a round outline and reeded edge. The smaller design entered circulation on 6 August 2009.

03

In Daily Life

Two 50-centavo coins make one peso. The smaller D coin is in the current catalogue; the earlier B and C designs retain their payment validity. Changing the physical format did not halve the denomination again or cancel the earlier coins.

04

A Change You Can See and Measure

The contrast is more than colour. From 22 mm to 17 mm, the diameter decreases by 5 mm; the edge changes from plain to reeded. These are specified physical differences. The face photographs show the contrasting outlines, while the edge descriptions come from the issuer’s technical records.

05

The Cent Sign Stayed

Unlike peso denominations, the centavo coins never used the N$ notation of the New Peso transition. The 50¢ value, date and M° mint mark must be read on their own terms. The enlarged examples shown are dated 2008 for the bronze design and 2012 for the small steel design; neither date is the first release of that physical generation.

06

Continuity Does Not Mean Identical Dies

The official B/C continuity statement concerns the principal design, allowing the annual date to change. The D coin adapts the named motif to a smaller circular space. Neither statement proves that every die, letter shape or microscopic detail is identical across all specimens.

07

Identify the Format Before the Date

Compare the outline, diameter and edge before sorting dates. Use the scale comparison below as a ratio, not an on-screen ruler: screen sizes vary. The sources support technical identification and validity, but not a complete annual production census or a claim that either generation is scarce in everyday change.

THE OBJECT

Specifications & material eras

Nominal specifications; dates describe transitions, not a complete annual mintage list.
FormatMaterialDiameter / massOutline / edge
B / C · from 1993 / 1996Aluminium bronze22 mm · 4.39 gNotched dodecagon · plain
D · from 6 August 2009Stainless steel17 mm · 3.103 gRound · reeded

The Same Value, at 22 and 17 mm

22 mm bronze coin17 mm steel coin

Relative diameter 22:17. Enlarged photographs; not actual size.

THE EVERYDAY OBJECT, IN NUMBERS

Coins in Everyday Mexico

AUGUST 2026 · 50 Centavos

9,929.563

million pieces in circulation

The monthly series began at 944.945 million pieces in January 1999. Its changing balance describes this denomination across designs and generations.

Scale: 0–10,000 million pieces

Monthly circulation stockJanuary 1999 to August 2026. Millions of pieces. Exact monthly values are in the expandable table below.05,00010,000199920122026
Monthly circulation stock · million pieces

A denomination-level circulation balance, in millions of pieces. It is not annual mintage, newly issued coins, production, monetary value or how often a coin appears in change. The figures do not separate designs or coin families.

Read the monthly figures · 332 observations

Monthly periods; January 1999–August 2026. Scroll within the table for earlier values.

Banco de México · CM2 · SM12
MonthMillion pieces
2026-089,929.563186
2026-079,909.005105
2026-069,879.390083
2026-059,843.232094
2026-049,803.708507
2026-039,766.109542
2026-029,717.926627
2026-019,677.715797
2025-129,637.966785
2025-119,594.23053
2025-109,558.887481
2025-099,518.960349
2025-089,490.488048
2025-079,445.542379
2025-069,396.573086
2025-059,348.674155
2025-049,302.520158
2025-039,264.514131
2025-029,209.912951
2025-019,153.49202
2024-129,107.909862
2024-119,053.609621
2024-109,002.854225
2024-098,946.111425
2024-088,885.82066
2024-078,827.650617
2024-068,781.238347
2024-058,728.83268
2024-048,681.151385
2024-038,635.513407
2024-028,592.843328
2024-018,538.912876
2023-128,501.037876
2023-118,446.752833
2023-108,386.862995
2023-098,317.943879
2023-088,275.037753
2023-078,230.854539
2023-068,182.418396
2023-058,142.101486
2023-048,094.887603
2023-038,058.608608
2023-028,020.564535
2023-017,971.787538
2022-127,940.731532
2022-117,901.647533
2022-107,849.885534
2022-097,792.699794
2022-087,742.820929
2022-077,692.521373
2022-067,645.215021
2022-057,593.705016
2022-047,551.78258
2022-037,516.169026
2022-027,464.840852
2022-017,440.318195
2021-127,422.276193
2021-117,384.157614
2021-107,333.775577
2021-097,301.120177
2021-087,268.672179
2021-077,232.390179
2021-067,200.656187
2021-057,165.205451
2021-047,131.94146
2021-037,097.084468
2021-027,042.787468
2021-016,993.413468
2020-126,957.857468
2020-116,917.615468
2020-106,868.412469
2020-096,813.839469
2020-086,770.018469
2020-076,730.451469
2020-066,702.03047
2020-056,685.32347
2020-046,660.72347
2020-036,620.15147
2020-026,561.429635
2020-016,511.16613
2019-126,463.581887
2019-116,418.114047
2019-106,375.647643
2019-096,338.135852
2019-086,301.729708
2019-076,262.250315
2019-066,224.876988
2019-056,192.191887
2019-046,178.64153
2019-036,157.043196
2019-026,127.833083
2019-016,097.384109
2018-126,059.808184
2018-116,001.350705
2018-105,968.683733
2018-095,926.447132
2018-085,882.236611
2018-075,840.461527
2018-065,816.658513
2018-055,785.359495
2018-045,752.19328
2018-035,719.325959
2018-025,685.776023
2018-015,655.949884
2017-125,622.253427
2017-115,603.904485
2017-105,567.906952
2017-095,497.771568
2017-085,463.667921
2017-075,427.98996
2017-065,401.224732
2017-055,372.351776
2017-045,342.007451
2017-035,282.374342
2017-025,246.091661
2017-015,188.505625
2016-125,145.393187
2016-115,068.305175
2016-104,999.707991
2016-094,945.204069
2016-084,891.4784
2016-074,846.461146
2016-064,800.407635
2016-054,751.083492
2016-044,706.271012
2016-034,590.395956
2016-024,543.237312
2016-014,525.36806
2015-124,498.739675
2015-114,438.446998
2015-104,386.042049
2015-094,358.900434
2015-084,313.059429
2015-074,303.290286
2015-064,257.35448
2015-054,236.016172
2015-044,198.016446
2015-034,153.498364
2015-024,116.640288
2015-014,087.78207
2014-124,064.567206
2014-114,015.241031
2014-103,973.483853
2014-093,956.122117
2014-083,929.451613
2014-073,903.363286
2014-063,876.402246
2014-053,837.962215
2014-043,815.9769
2014-033,791.830556
2014-023,773.038505
2014-013,750.38402
2013-123,731.365796
2013-113,683.929421
2013-103,641.638564
2013-093,611.491639
2013-083,594.764452
2013-073,570.857477
2013-063,545.107001
2013-053,525.477994
2013-043,495.093894
2013-033,477.240576
2013-023,454.278353
2013-013,437.600222
2012-123,417.965147
2012-113,382.763153
2012-103,330.863064
2012-093,294.118311
2012-083,270.942893
2012-073,251.200153
2012-063,221.182231
2012-053,198.022301
2012-043,171.916159
2012-033,150.820182
2012-023,133.828373
2012-013,120.758013
2011-123,108.866306
2011-113,076.500115
2011-103,037.393015
2011-093,018.681865
2011-083,005.853734
2011-072,984.109188
2011-062,966.573188
2011-052,941.611191
2011-042,929.930326
2011-032,919.986896
2011-022,909.323305
2011-012,897.49791
2010-122,884.321298
2010-112,854.534068
2010-102,818.004017
2010-092,802.818658
2010-082,791.593437
2010-072,779.987422
2010-062,771.418901
2010-052,759.284677
2010-042,752.53663
2010-032,744.904499
2010-022,741.548364
2010-012,736.037191
2009-122,726.207861
2009-112,691.174881
2009-102,668.329561
2009-092,657.980127
2009-082,649.014695
2009-072,640.483642
2009-062,631.951601
2009-052,616.691577
2009-042,603.497059
2009-032,596.378918
2009-022,585.904864
2009-012,581.504862
2008-122,569.956827
2008-112,523.662777
2008-102,503.526775
2008-092,493.196767
2008-082,481.812397
2008-072,469.112369
2008-062,454.342306
2008-052,448.080198
2008-042,439.922063
2008-032,430.969897
2008-022,424.075991
2008-012,411.220018
2007-122,395.573882
2007-112,345.551953
2007-102,308.449938
2007-092,290.897936
2007-082,278.917784
2007-072,263.629794
2007-062,247.761839
2007-052,233.601211
2007-042,219.213765
2007-032,215.893196
2007-022,208.281143
2007-012,196.483142
2006-122,181.607148
2006-112,139.289141
2006-102,104.453147
2006-092,084.917166
2006-082,070.197054
2006-072,050.405057
2006-062,039.157057
2006-052,031.08275
2006-042,016.71673
2006-032,003.004721
2006-021,996.890584
2006-011,988.766556
2005-121,976.950582
2005-111,925.930571
2005-101,895.01255
2005-091,876.738473
2005-081,870.446463
2005-071,857.656513
2005-061,844.456398
2005-051,841.280403
2005-041,835.530378
2005-031,830.348392
2005-021,822.33837
2005-011,817.954341
2004-121,806.100357
2004-111,761.076337
2004-101,740.71234
2004-091,730.916234
2004-081,717.040312
2004-071,703.090326
2004-061,691.610142
2004-051,682.932164
2004-041,678.222147
2004-031,669.758115
2004-021,661.274139
2004-011,651.902006
2003-121,644.419968
2003-111,593.137568
2003-101,569.933443
2003-091,560.727493
2003-081,551.891355
2003-071,542.95338
2003-061,536.477352
2003-051,530.72322
2003-041,523.075184
2003-031,503.728978
2003-021,506.018855
2003-011,508.656774
2002-121,499.754962
2002-111,462.294933
2002-101,441.792917
2002-091,437.8227
2002-081,428.672497
2002-071,417.90244
2002-061,411.601956
2002-051,407.091548
2002-041,401.129346
2002-031,394.123259
2002-021,390.021254
2002-011,385.383077
2001-121,365.019072
2001-111,331.933055
2001-101,320.189048
2001-091,316.477987
2001-081,308.116806
2001-071,296.536871
2001-061,286.104825
2001-051,279.726785
2001-041,273.762749
2001-031,264.620654
2001-021,264.532634
2001-011,257.362358
2000-121,251.811878
2000-111,204.769422
2000-101,183.36085
2000-091,173.870554
2000-081,164.724501
2000-071,156.156522
2000-061,145.350325
2000-051,134.619728
2000-041,117.810546
2000-031,103.718547
2000-021,098.973944
2000-011,098.261916
1999-121,087.37968
1999-111,041.965627
1999-101,018.252197
1999-091,004.716076
1999-08994.790251
1999-07982.238322
1999-06972.309605
1999-05962.975345
1999-04957.173209
1999-03948.792627
1999-02947.010554
1999-01944.944534

Sources: Banco de México ↗ · Banco de México SIE ↗

Observed period: August 2026. Retrieved 14 September 2026. Figures may be revised.

DESIGNS & GENERATIONS

The denomination register

Compare design identities and material eras. Start dates are documented circulation milestones; no complete annual minting range is implied.

FURTHER READING

Sources & image credits

Banco de México specifications, original legal texts and institutional histories. Information checked through 13 September 2026.

Open the source list
  1. Essor Prof / montana2011 · 50-centavo photographs · 2008 / 2012
  2. Banco de México · Other valid designs
  3. Banco de México · Currently manufactured coins
  4. Banco de México · 50 centavos D
  5. DOF via Banco de México · 1992 monetary-unit decree
  6. Banco de México / DOF · 1992 technical coin decree
  7. Banco de México / DOF · Circular 2024/95, 27 December 1995
  8. Banco de México / DOF · Circular E-122/2009, 6 August 2009
Design & generation register →

Coin design references: Banco de México. Large 1-peso photographs: Numismatica Quetzalcoatl (Gabriel Herrera), via Numista, CC BY 4.0. Large bronze 50-centavo photographs: Essor Prof, via Numista. Steel 50-centavo photographs: montana2011, via Numista, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.

1-peso photographs · Bronze 50 centavos · Steel 50 centavos · CC BY 4.0 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Coin photographs remain unchanged; layout masks remove only exterior background. Detail views are labelled crops. Landscapes are landscape artwork, not documentary photographs or coin-design evidence. Coin images are enlarged and are not all shown at one physical scale.

Sun Stone: Rosemania / Chez Cåsver · CC BY 2.0 · Layout crop; original photograph unchanged.

Image credits and sources