1910 S1P Type 1, Caballito, KM-453 MS (KM-453)

The 1910 Un Peso Caballito is part of the series of Coinage Reform of 1905, when the motto ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS was added to coinage. The Caballito, a/k/a The Little Horse Pesos were struck from 1910-1914. All 1910 pesos were struck from Type 1 dies, also known as the Short Ray variety. All were struck in Mexico City and designated  Business (MS) strikes. Caballitos measure 39mm in diameter, are made of 0.9027% silver, 0.0973% copper and weigh 27.073gms. Each contains .7859 oz ASW. This first year of issue boasted the series largest annual  mintage of 3,814,000 pesos.

All 1910 and 1911 Type 1 Caballitos were struck with short ray dies. Although all Type 1 dies had the short ray, only their brief minting in early 1911 is used to identify this variety. 1910's are 1910's, period. 1911 Short Rays are the only date in which the variety is scarce or designated. For differentiation, the 1911 Long Ray Type 2 dies also need designation. Only the 1911 Caballito uses "Ray" designations for variety.

The 1910 Caballito are all of the original “short ray” (rayo corto) design of Charles Pillet. This die variety has one shortened ray of the rising sun on the lower left side of the reverse. This shorter ray was a carryover from where the designer/engravers name appeared on the patterns. On the 1909 pattern, his name appeared in tall letters as “Ch. Pillet” laid out parallel to the rim on the lower left side.. Pillet's name was removed from the dies for business strikes. Without further adjustments it left this one sun ray noticeably short.

Obverse Description

The Obverse features the Mexican coat of arms, depicting the Aztec legend of a Mexican Eagle grasping a snake in its beak and right claw standing on a Prickly Pear Cactus on a rocky outcrop on Tentotchlitan in Lake Texcoco. Estatdos Unidos Mexicanos appears above, Oak and Laurel wreath below. Un Peso in bold letters in field on either side of Cactus. Lenticular pattern around face of outer edge.

Reverse Description

The Reverse of the Caballito is the money side as they say in numismatics. It depicts a young woman rider, symbolically representing Liberty, side sitting on an unshod Mexican bucking horse that carries no saddle. Both the horse and rider face to the left. The female rider holds torch raised high in her left hand as she looks to the rear while urging the horse forward. The flames of the torch flow horizontally to the right. Her right hand holds a branch from an Encino oak. Liberty is wrapped in loose flowing cloth representing the fabric of society. The Horse has no saddle, no bridle or reins. Behind the horse and rider is a radiant rising sun with its crown breaking above the earth sending 14 rays of light into the sky. Around the outer face is an alternating "lenticular" pattern interspersed with "snaps". The date on the coin sits in the space below the textured ground the horse stands upon, with a raised dot on either side.

Source: Allan Schein