Bank Note: Mexico, 2 Pesos

On the furthermost left side of the banknote, the allegory of Commerce holds a caduceus, a winged staff with two snakes twirled around it. She is reclining on a pedestal adorned with Mexico’s national emblem, an eagle holding a snake in its beak. Next to her is the seated allegory of Agriculture. In Roman mythology, agriculture is the domain of the goddess Ceres. She is the Roman counterpart of Demeter, the Greek goddess of agriculture. Ceres’ domain and mythology are heavily based on those of her Greek counterpart. The corona spicea, a crown or wreath made of corn or wheat ears, is her most distinctive attribute. It is plausible that the two figures here, Agriculture and Commerce, were used to convey their respective sectors in the country’s economy at the time.

An aerial view of the city of Puebla with Mount Popocatépetl in the distance is visible to their right.

“2 Pesos, Mexico.” Numista. Accessed August 25, 2023. https://en.numista.com/catalogue/note355336.html.

“Caduceus.” American Heritage Dictionary. Accessed August 25, 2023. https://www.ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=caduceus

“Ceres.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Accessed September 12, 2023. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ceres-Roman-goddess

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“Ceres | Roman Goddess of Agriculture ▪︎ Grain ▪︎ Fertility.” YouTube, February 11, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnK5SBPQBWc&ab_channel=ThePastInPerspective.

“Datos Relevantes Del Nuevo Billete de 1000 Pesos G.” Banco de México. Accessed August 25, 2023. https://www.banxico.org.mx/billetes-y-monedas/d/%7BE53145AB-3A19-397A-4876-FF0F45F2AC80%7D.PDF.

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Rich, Anthony. Corona. Accessed September 12, 2023. https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/secondary/SMIGRA*/Corona.html.

“Symbols of Mexico.” Embajada de México en el Reino Unido. Accessed August 25, 2023. https://embamex.sre.gob.mx/reinounido/images/stories/PDF/Meet_Mexico/2_meetmexico-symbolsofmexico.pdf.