5 Peso United Mexican States (1867 - ) Silver

1950, Mexico (2nd Republic). Silver 5 Pesos “Southern Railroad” Coin. Commemorating the Opening of the Southern Railroad.

Mint Year: 1950 Reference: KM-466. Mint Place: Mexico City Mintage: 200,000 (of which 50% were melted to be used for the 1968 Mexican Olympic 25 Pesos!) . Denomination: 5 Pesos Material: Silver (.720) Weight: 27.75gm Diameter: 40mm

Obverse: A steam-powered locomotive on the Southern Pacific Railroad, flanked by palms. Sun containing date (1950) rising in background. Legend: INAUGURACION DEL FERROCARRIL DEL SURESTE .

Reverse:An eagle with a snake in its beak, standing on on cactus plant. Silver purity, denomination, date and weight in fields. Legend: ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS – CINCO PESOS Mo 1950 – LEY 0.720 – PESO 277 / 96

The Southern Pacific Railroad of Mexico (reporting mark SPM) was a railroad subsidiary of the Southern Pacific Company in Mexico, operating from Nogales, Sonora, to Mazatlán, Sinaloa. The Sonora Railway Company began construction in 1880 and opened a link to Nogales in 1882; it was a subsidiary of the American “Sante Fe” line and was subsidized by the Mexican government. The Southern Pacific bought the Sonora Railway Company in 1898 and operated it as the “Southern Pacific of Mexico” until 1951.

It was sold to the Mexican government in 1951, becoming the Ferrocarril del Pacifico and operated from Benjamín Hill, Sonora to Guadalajara, Jalisco via Mazatlán, Sinaloa. It was absorbed into Ferrocarriles Nacionales de México in 1984.