1kg Aztec Calendar Silver Coin 2011 Proof

One Kilo Mexican Silver Coin Calendario Azteca 2011

Issued by the Central Bank of Mexico in 2011, this precision 1 Kg silver coin, issued in top proof quality in the purest 99.9% silver purity, portrays in detail the world-famous Aztec calendar - one of the most important archaeological finds. With a diameter of 110 mm, this magnificent coin is one of the largest coins in the world! These coins are highly sought after by investors and collectors worldwide!

The obverse of the coin depicts the beautiful Aztec Calendar or Sunstone motif on a hand-polished "mirror" background in a top quality proof. The motif is accompanied by the inscriptions, "CALENDARIO AZTECA", "$ 100", "1 kg PLATA PURA", "LEY .999" and the mint mark "M". On the reverse side, the national emblem of Mexico (an eagle hunting a snake) is depicted in the centre of the coin with the inscription "ESTADOS UNIDOS MEXICANOS" (United Mexican States), which is surrounded by ten more small coats of arms used in the history of Mexico.

The coin comes in a deluxe, display case along with a numbered certificate of authenticity, an illustrated booklet and a magnifying glass for numismatists in a limited edition of only 1,500 pieces for the entire world!

Aztec Calendar

The Aztecs did not use the Mayan long count in practice. To measure time, the Aztecs adapted the civil year to the solar year. They divided it into eighteen months of twenty days each (that's 360 days). The missing five days were added to the end of the year and were, like the Mazas, considered unlucky. Their week lasted five days. They solved the problem that we solve by leap years according to the Georgian calendar in force with us by setting the calendar in order at the end of each of their fifty-two "centuries", inserting an average of 12.5 days (that is, about 12 days once and 13 days the second time).

Their year began in 1091, when they reformed the calendar shortly after their arrival. They gave the time elapsed since that time as the number of fifty-two-year cycles that had elapsed plus the time elapsed since the beginning of the last cycle. For this purpose they divided the cycle into four subsidiary thirteen-year periods.

In addition to this "civil" calendar, there was a sacred calendar called the lunar calendar, although it had nothing to do with the orbit of the moon around the earth. It consisted, as with the Maya, of thirteen months of twenty days each, and thus had 260 days. It governed festivals, sacrificial seasons and astronomical calculations.

The coloured disc, in its typical graphic style, creates a mandala with an ominous face. We can only guess what it was meant to herald and how it was meant to terrify. In ancient cultures, every symbol had a clear and logical meaning. Today, we see it only as a work of art in its own right.

The dark cults of the Aztec culture captivate with their cruelty, colour and mysticism. Those who lived in this culture nevertheless procreated, raised their children and fed them the fruits of their labour.

At appointed times, measured out by the ancient gods and carved into the calendar, a mover intervened in this society, as ruthless as the nature that surrounded this nation. Only the supreme, human sacrifice could meet the challenges posed by tropical storms or drought.

Since ancient times, the observed cycles, imprinted in the rhythms of the calendar, showed regular changes to describe the alternation of periods of calm with upheaval. The ordering of society and the observance of rituals unified society into a compact whole. It gave a doubtful certainty that the changes would be resisted. The fear of catastrophe only increased the intensity of sacrifice or self-harm.

The ritual of appeasement of the deities, escalated to absurdity, was a continuation of the superstition typical of man. It was alienated by the cunning castes of society, to secure a good position and a comfortable life.