1866-M° Maximilian Peso (Large Letters)

The 1866-M° Maximilian Peso (Large Letters) was struck in 1866 and is part of the Mexican Imperial Coinage series.

Specifications

 * Designer:
 * Obverse Design: Maximilian I of Mexico Bust
 * Reverse Design:
 * Edge: Reeded
 * Weight:
 * Diameter:
 * Composition:
 * Date Minted: 1866
 * Mintage:

Background
Maximilian arrived in Mexico on June 12, 1864 and took command of the country as a puppet of Napoleon III. In 1865 the U.S. was able to order Napoleon III to withdraw his troops and Maximilian was deserted and left without support.

Carlota left Mexico in 1866 and returned to Europe to obtain aid for her beloved husband, but met with no success.

Maximilian is described as a man of ability and high character. He believed he could help and assist the Mexican people.

In 1867 he left Mexico City and marched to the town of Queretaro. It was there that he was betrayed by his trusted aide, General Gomez, and captured by the troops of Benito Juarez. On June 19, 1867 he was shot by a firing squad. It is said that he was offered clemency, but he refused unless his two favorite aides were also to be spared, but his plea was ignored.

Carlota lost her mind as a result and died 60 years later in confinement. The One Peso Silver and 20 Peso Gold coins of Maximilian remain as truly beautiful examples of 19th century coinage.

If you drive through the town of Tres Palos, 130 miles south of Edinburg on Mexico #97, you may see many inhabitants who are tall, fair-haired, and blue-eyed. These are descendants of Maximilian's Austrian troops who escaped capture and settled in this town. (51 miles futher is Padilla where Iturbide was executed.)

I urge every visitor to Mexico City to visit the Chapultepec Castle and see the mementos that Maximilian and his bride left for posterity.

History
The Maximilian peso dates from 1864 to 1867 when Maximilian was the Emperor of Mexico. He was a brother of the Emperor Francis Joseph of Austria. He married the beautiful daughter of King Leopold I of Belgium who was named Carlota. Napoleon III, who was the Emperor of France, decided to dominate Mexico. This schemer realized that the U.S.A was so involved in the War Between the States (Civil War), that they could not release troops to enforce the Monroe Doctrine.

Collector Notes
Finding Maximilian Pesos at coin shows in the NorthWestern United States can be a challenge. Multiple visits to various shows has yielded nothing, except the most common 1866 date ---of which only one was available. Locating other dates is difficult and near impossible if you're looking for a gold Maximilian Peso.

The more common mintages come from the Mexico City Mint (M°). Those from the Guanajuato Mint (G°) can be difficult to locate for collectors.