1963 GOLD MEXICO 50 PESO MEDAL NGC MINT STATE 64 FOUNDING OF DURANGO

UNITED MEXICAN STATES

QUADRICENTENNIAL GOLD MEDALLIC ISSUE OF THE FOUNDING OF THE CITY OF DURANGO (1583-1963)

CERTIFIED BY NGC MINT STATE 64

OBV: CROWNED OVAL ARMS OF DURANGO WITHIN AN ORNAMENTAL CARTOUCHE SURROUNDING BY NAMES OF FOUNDERS WITH ANNIVERSARY DATES AT BOTTOM.

REV: WITHIN CIRCLE THREE FIGURES-A NATIVE WARRIOR, A PRIEST AND AN ARMORED CONQUISTADOR WITH FLAG WITH MOUNTAIN IN BACKGROUND; SUROUNDING LEGEND "FRANCISCO DE IBARRA CAPITAN GENERAL Y GOBERNADOR DE LA NUEVA VIZCAYA" WITH FOUNDING DATE "1583" AT BOTTOM.

GROVE #822

THE PROVINCE OF NUEVA VIZCAYA (NEW BISCAY) (1562-1821) WAS THE FIRST OF THE PROVINCES IN THE NORTH OF THE VICEROYALTY OF NEW SPAIN TO BE EXPLORED, FOUNDED AND SETTLED BY THE SPAINISH. FRANCISCO de IBARRA, (b. 1539? - d. 1575) CAPTAIN GENERAL AND FIRST GOVERNOR OF NUEVA VIZCAYA, WAS THE BASQUE CONQUISTADOR RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FOUNDING OF DURANGO.  HE WAS THE NEPHEW OF DIEGO de IBARRA, A CONQUISTADOR FOUNDER OF ZACATECAS AND A WEALTHY NEW WORLD SILVER MINE OWNER, WHO FINANCED FRANCISCO'S EXPEDITION NORTHWEST OF ZACATECAS IN 1554.

FRANCISCO de IBARRA ALSO FOUNDED THE TOWNS OF SAN MARTÍN AND AVINO, AND ESTABLISHED HIS OWN SILVER MINES IN THOSE REGIONS.

IN 1562, IN SEARCH OF THE FABLED CÍBOLA (THE SEVEN CITIES OF GOLD), FRANCISCO CONQUERED WHAT IS TODAY THE STATE OF DURANGO, AND WAS APPOINTED GOVERNOR OF NUEVA VIZCAYA. HE FOUNDED VILLA de GUADIANA WHICH BECAME THE PROVINCIAL CAPITAL, VILLA de DURANGO (LATER CALLED VICTORIA de DURANGO, CIUDAD de DURANGO, OR JUST DURANGO) AT THE PLACE OF AN EARLIER BUT PRIMITIVE SPANISH SETTLEMENT KNOWN AS NOMBRE de DIOS. HE ALSO ESTABLISHED A MINE WHICH ENCOURAGED SETTLEMENT. DURANGO'S FIRST LAYOUT WAS MADE BY THE CONQUISTADOR CAPTAIN ALONSO de PACHECO. 

IN 1564, FRANCISCO de IBARRA CONQUERED SOUTHERN SÍNALOA, FOUNDING THE SILVER MINING TOWNS OF COPALA AND PÁNUCO, HE DIED IN PÁNUCO IN 1575. 

41.2 GRAMS OF .900 FINE GOLD (1.1922 OZS AGW)

38 MM IN DIAMETER