Occidente

by Don Bailey ^{from Don Bailey, State and Federal Copper And Brass Coinage Of Mexico (1824 – 1872), Don Bailey Institute for Mexican Numismatic & Historical research, 2008}

The separation of Sonora and Sinaloa from the old Spanish Intendencia region was to be on 19 July 1823 but was found to be premature. A decree of 4 February 1824 named the two provinces under the one title, Estado Interno de Occidente. The first capital was El Fuerte, then Cosola, and then Alamos. A state constitution was formulated on 31 October 1825 giving the area the title of Occidente State. It was subdivided into five departments. On 13 October 1830 Occidente ceased to exist, and it was divided into the states of Sonora and Sinaloa. Even after the separation, the two states were still joined by a common military comandante general located at Arizpe, Sonora.

The concession for an Occidente coinage was given to Leonardo Santoyo in 1828; it came from the national government for the striking of octavos at Alamos. The first issues of the Occidente coinage proved unpopular with the people, therefore were rather limited. The total production of both years is thought to be 40,860 pieces. The first amortization of copper coins in Mexico was in Occidente on 19 December 1828^{[text needed]}. They attempted to eliminate the octavos of Durango and any other copper in circulation within the state but it is unlikely that any of the Occidente coinage was removed.

⅛ real

KM 335 ⅛r 1829 Occidente (Heritage auction, 16 January 2019, lot 37168)

The obverse has the national coat of arms with the legend above, "ESTADO DE OCCIDENTE" with branches below. The "C" is a mintmark, as the full name of Alamos is "Concepcion de Alamos". This scarce series has an obliquely reeded edge, and it was issued in only the ⅛ real denomination for 1828 (with a reversed S in Estado), and in 1829.

A coin with an one Occidente obverse eagle (KM 335) on one side and a Chihuahua obverse (KM 318)on the other was found at Landoras, Coahuila with a metal detector.