Bank Note: Mexico, 2 Pesos

On the furthermost left side of the banknote is the monument to Christopher Columbus in Mexico City. It was a gift to the city from the Mexican banker and businessman, Antonio Escandon. It was sculpted by Charles Cordier and erected in 1877. Next to Columbus’ depiction is the engraving of an 1875 painting by Rodrigo Gutiérrez. Titled “The Tlaxcalan Senate”, the piece depicts an assembly presided over by the leaders of the four districts that made up the pre-Spanish imperial region of Tlaxcala. Speakers at the gathering discuss Hernán Cortés' call for an alliance against their enemies, the Aztecs. At the bottom right of the banknote is the severed head of the Aztec moon goddess Coyolxauhqui. Unearthed in March of 1830 in Mexico City, her Nahuatl name translates to “the one with facial paint of bells”. Plausibly, the images of pre colonial elements alongside that of Columbus are used to evoke the country’s history with colonialism.

“2 Pesos, Gobierno Provisional de Mexico.” Numista. Accessed November 15, 2023. https://en.numista.com/catalogue/note347559.html.

“Coyolxauhqui a 45 Años de Su Descubrimiento.” Mesoweb, 2022. https://www.mesoweb.com/es/articulos/sub/Coyolxauhqui_LLL.pdf.

Gutiérrez, Rodrigo. “The Tlaxcalan Senate.” Google Arts & Culture. Accessed November 15, 2023. https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/zgEX5lL1rkT8Lg.

Matos Moctezuma, Eduardo. “Las Seis Coyolxauhqui: Variaciones Sobre Un Mismo Te.” ADV Estudio. Accessed November 15, 2023. https://www.advestudio.com/las-seis-coyolxauhqui-variaciones-sobre-un-mismo-tema/.

“Monumento a Cristobal Colón, ‘Statue of Columbus.’” MEDIATECA INAH. Accessed November 16, 2023. https://mediateca.inah.gob.mx/repositorio/.

Olmedo Vera, Bertina. “Coyolxauhqui.” Museo Nacional de Antropología, July 2013. https://www.mna.inah.gob.mx/detalle_pieza_mes.php?id=191.

Ponce de León, Néstor. “Monumento de Colón.” COLUMBUS MONUMENTS PAGES. Accessed November 15, 2023. https://statues.vanderkrogt.net/columbus_gallery/statues.html#mexico.

“Statue of Columbus on the Paseo, City of Mexico, C1897. Creator: Unknown.” Heritage Images. Accessed November 15, 2023. https://www.heritage-print.com/statue-columbus-paseo-city-mexico-c1897-19046731.html.