Set Description:
Libertad 2 oz. (Silver PF) 1996-present
One of my favorite coins and overall issues in all of Mexico. The Libertad design is taken from a famous statue in Mexico City and represents Liberty.
The design has been updated on several occasions, but has remained a very popular design element since it was introduced in 1982 for the business strike and 1983 for the proof issues. The 2 ounce issues were first struck in 1996.
At present, the 1 ounce is by far the most popular size to collect, but the 2 and 5 ounce issues have been quickly growing in support, as well as the number of collectors.
The 2 ounce series has not yet attained the popularity of its smaller 1 oz. and fractional siblings, however the large format coins allows the collector to get a much easier view of the overall design which allow for a greater appreciation of the overall design.
The 2 ounce series is a difficult series to collect since there are several dates which are very difficult to obtain. The key dates in the series are 1998 and 1999 with a combined mintage of 680 which is extremely low. A very scarce coin indeed and one which will be even harder to find in high grade, let alone in any condition.
The Casa de Moneda introduced a newly modified version of the Libertad on the 2 oz. strikes and was referred to in their press releases as a “Reverse Proof”, although NGC has simply referred to these coins a “Proof-Like”. In late 2018, the mint also introduced yet another change when it issued an Antiqued 2 ounce coin.
From a collector perspective, most of the more recent years can be easily obtained in PF or PL 69 or 70, however most other dates will generally range PF 67 or 68, at best. A series which is better suited for the more dedicated and serious collector. With that said, it is certainly a fun one to try and collect all dates as long as you have the financial sources to obtain the scare/rare dates.
At present, these coins have been selling for a high premium for the more scarce dates, as well as for the 2015 detached wing variety, but far less expensive for the ones issued over the past several years.
I welcome any comments or feedback from my fellow collectors of this series.
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