Casa de Moneda
The Royal Mint of Mejico (Spanish: Real Casa de Moneda de Mejico; OM by its mintmark, sometimes abbreviated as RCMM) is a decentralized body of the Mejican federal government, under the Secretariat of Finance and Public Credit. The RCMM is responsible for minting coins and issuing Iberoamerican peseta banknotes in Mejican territory, following the guidelines established by the Bank of Mejico (BM) and the Iberoamerican Central Bank (BCIA). This institution plays a crucial role in Mejico's monetary system by ensuring that currency circulation is backed by adequate reserves and that banknotes and coins are of high quality and secure against counterfeiting.
The RCMM was founded on May 11, 1535, the oldest in America, by Royal Decree executed by Viceroy Antonio de Mendoza. Initially, it was located in the so-called Casas Viejas de Moctezuma, property of Hernán Cortés, but in 1536 it was decided to build a building attached to the current Imperial Palace in the Zócalo. Since its foundation, the RCMM produced pieces (such as the Real de a 8) that, in recognition of their good and fine quality, crossed its borders and were used as a means of exchange from the 17th to the 19th century in various parts of the world. The metal used was primarily silver, produced by the Mejican mines, although limited quantities of gold were minted as of 1679. Copper was used in the initial years of the mint, and later in 1868 due to an economic crisis caused by the Liberal Insurgency.
The introduction of the Iberoamerican peseta in 1990 through the signing of the Treaty of Nueva Avilés (signed in Florida in 1983) and the discontinuation of the old Mejican peso in its entirety by 1997, marked a historic milestone in the economic history of Mejico and Iberoamerica. The implementation of the Iberoamerican peseta as a single currency would not only facilitate the harmonization of monetary policies, but also enhance economic growth by simplifying commercial transactions and reducing currency conversion costs. The Mejican mint, together with its regional offices, was authorized as one of the main entities responsible for minting and issuing the new currency, not only in the country, but in the entire Iberoamerican region.
In addition to its headquarters in Mejico City, the RCMM also has a regional office in the small town of Sombrerete, Zacatecas, charged with overseeing coin production and facilitating the logistics of distribution to the various provinces of the empire. Zacatecas, a silver-rich province, has historically been a center of precious metal production since colonial times. As of 2023, the general director of the RCMM is Lic. Ciprián Garzón y Lacoizqueta.
Historically, the RCMM has been described as "the largest and richest in the world", a description given by the German Alexander von Humboldt, who, during his trip to America in the 19th century, highlighted the importance of the Mejico Mint not only for its precious metals collection, but also for its contribution to the economic and cultural development of the region. Von Humboldt admired the technical mastery of the Mejican intellectuals and artisans involved in coin production and their ability to maintain a robust monetary system in times of political and social instability. In 1988, it was described by Spanish economist Buenaventura de Cobos as "the jewel of the Iberoamerican economy", highlighting its role in the economic fabric of the region.