� �Today I just received my new Libertad for this year. A bright and shiny 2018 Silver Libertad almost directly from Mexico. I’m a big fan of the silver Libertad. I wish I could afford the gold ones but maybe someday. This series of coins is very similar to our Silver American Eagles, SAE’s. They are one ounce of silver. They come out every year and they are the same design each year. Mexico does do them in some fractional weights of 1/20, 1/10, 1/4, 1/2, 1 oz, 2 oz., 5 oz and 1 kilogram. This example has the modern diameter of 40 mm’s.. It is a Brilliant Uncirculated and is also available in proof. They have been smaller in diameter in some of the earlier dates. They first came out in 1986 and were 36 mm..It is minted in the Casa de Moneda , the Mexican National Mint, located in Mexico City. It is the oldest mint in all the Americas. Opening in 1535, by Spanish decree. This coin is made of 0.999 pure silver. The obverse features the modern national coat of arms at center with the eagle facing left. It is encircled by the legend ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS above and a half wreath of oak and laurel below. Surrounding that centered design is a ring of 10 Mexican coats of arms. The reverse has Mexico’s Winged Liberty on a stand in three quarter profile facing left. A wreath of laurel is in her right hand, a broken chain in her left. In the background is the Valley of Mexico. In the far distance are the mountains Ixtaccihuatl and Popocatepetl. Reading clockwise from the left is the legend 1 ONZA/PLATA PURA/2018/LEY.999.. In the field to the right is the mintmark. I am unable to type it but it is a M with a small o on top of it. If you are unfamiliar with the story of the mountains, I encourage you to look it up. It’s one of Mexico’s greatest love stories. It has a reeded edge. Since the coin has no national value it is a bullion coin. I find these Libertad’s a nice, lower priced coin to collect. There are a few varieties out there so it is worth checking out. Thanks for your time. Please feel free to leave comments.

� �I don't usually buy bullion rounds but I was at my favorite coin store the other day and I saw these. They are one ounce silver rounds put out by some company, I think, to celebrate their 10th anniversary. They, he had a roll, feature a dragon and peacock on the reverse and the company logo on the obverse. The dragon was the first thing to draw me in then I saw the edge. All 20 coins had this dark toning all around the coin with the toning starting to creep over the main surfaces. I bought one of the rounds in the hopes of watching the toning progress over the rest of the coin.