Congreso Americano Proclamation 1811

by Max A. Keech

Summary: The undated Congreso Americano real is an unusual coin which the author proposes was struck for the August 1811 Congress of Zitácuaro as a proclamation issue. The Congreso Americano real both announces this Insurgent American Congress and proclaims the Insurgents’ loyalty to Ferdinand VII, consistent with a specific act of the Congress. This article details the unique characteristics of the Congreso Americano proclamation that are the foundation for this new attribution.

Background: The Congreso Americano real is undated and there is no identification of its issuing authority. It has long been classified as an 1813 issue which implies a connection to the September 1813 Congress of Chilpancingo. This is improbable based on historical events as well as the physical evidence provided by the coins themselves. The prominent obverse legend“CONGRESO AMERICANO”(American Congress) is a clear reference to one of the two Insurgent Congresses that occurred before 1814. The reverse is dominated by a crowned royal cape displaying “F7” for Ferdinand VII, a pledge of loyalty to the exiled King that could only have occurred at the August 1811 Congress of Zitácuaro, and not at the 1813 Congress of Chilpancingo. Key elements of both the 1811 Zitácuaro and 1813 Chilpancingo Congresses are detailed below.

1811 Congress of Zitácuaro proclaims for Ferdinand VII: Following Hidalgo’s capture and execution, Insurgent leaders held a congress in August 1811 to elect a Supreme Junta (governing council) and to pledge loyalty to the revolutionary cause. The Suprema Junta Gubernativa de América (Supreme National Governing Congress of América) passed an act declaring that “sovereignty emanates from the people, is vested in Ferdinand VII and exercised by the National American Council”. This act specifically accepted sovereignty on behalf of the exiled King. A governing Junta was elected with General Ignacio Rayón selected as president.

Three days of celebrations ensued during which 50 towns recognized the sovereignty of the Insurgent Government. These events were similar to previous Spanish coronations celebrated in major cities throughout New Spain, often with proclamation medals thrown to the crowds. Proclamation coinage was well known to the Insurgents of 1811 with over 200 different proclamations issued in the name of Ferdinand VII alone^{Grove, Frank W, Second edition (1976), Medals of Mexico, Vol. 1, Medals of the Spanish Kings, Ontario, Canada, pages 135-205}.

Coins thrown to the crowd: Following his election, President Rayón is documented to have thrown coins to the cheering crowd^{Guzmán P., Moisés (2008), La Suprema Junta Nacional Americana, 1811-1913, p. 21.}. To do so, these coins must have been created in advance of the Congress and they certainly would have contained applicable legends. The Congreso Americano real seems tailor-made for this event and, hence, the author believes it is the coinage created for this congress and then thrown to the crowds.
Congreso Americano Proclamation coinage: The Congreso Americano reales have a medalic look which is crude yet similar to the proclamation issues common in the colonial period. The obverse states simply “CONGRESO AMERICANO” along with a denomination of 1 R. The reverse boldly displays “F.7” in a crowned and spread mantel with a surrounding legend “DEPOSIT.D.L.AUTORID.D.”. Pradeau translates this legend as “Ferdinand VII, upon whom authority has been vested”. In simple terms, the Insurgent American Congress is proclaiming loyalty to Ferdinand VII while claiming authority to act on his behalf. The inclusion of a denomination is unusual for a proclamation but not without precedent. At least 15 proclamations of Ferdinand VII display a value^{Grove, op. cit. F-56, 57, 58, 59, 83, 135, 136, 139, 140, 141, 145, 146, 147, 154 and 194}.

(1811) Congreso Americano real, 1812 Supreme Junta real & 1813 half real

Comparison to later coinage: The lack of an issuer in the legend can be explained by a design conceived and struck just before the 1811 Zitácuaro Congress. After the 1811 Congress, the coinage of the Supreme Junta would clearly identify itself, but before the Supreme Junta was elected this was not possible. The Congreso Americano Proclamation also has different physical characteristic than those displayed by the subsequent coinage of the Supreme Junta. The Congreso Americano real lacks denticles and has a right facing eagle. All of the Supreme Junta coinage from inception in 1811 thru its conclusion in 1814 displays a very different style of eagle which always faces left, and its coinage has denticles. Lettering punches and planchet quality are also distinct from the 1812-1814 coinage of the Supreme Junta.

NORTE counterstamp occurred before Chilpancingo: At least two examples of the Congresso Americano real exist with NORTE counterstamps. The NORTE counterstamp was used before the September 1813 Congesss of Chilpancingo as will be explained in a future article. This is another piece of evidence that the Congreso Americano real was created for the 1811 Zitácuaro Congress and not the 1813 Congress of Chilpancingo.

1813 Congress of Chilpancingo rejects Ferdinand VII: There is another important reason to exclude the Chilpancingo Congress from
consideration as the origin of the Congreso Americano real. Unlike the 1811 Zitácuaro Congress which declared for Ferdinand VII, the 1813 Congress of Chilpancingo declared independence, explicitly rejecting the exiled King Ferdinand VII and any further connection to Spain. Following the Chilpancingo Congress, the pledge to Ferdinand VII was removed from the Supreme Junta’s coinage as evidenced by the 1813 “S.J.N.G. AMÉRICA” half real. For this reason, it is difficult to imagine the Congreso Americano real and its focus on Ferdinand VII being associated with the

1813 Chilpancingo Congress. The 1811 Zitácuaro Congress was the only Insurgent congress to proclaim loyalty to Ferdinand VII and hence must be the subject of the Congreso Americano Proclamation.

1813 S.J.N.G. AMERICA 1/2R

1811 Supreme Junta casting madre struck in an unknown location

Three Congreso Americano types: There are three different types of Congreso Americano reales. Type one and two share a common obverse die with a large eagle. The type one reverse has a continuous legend while type two reverse has a three-quarter legend with a sprig below the mantle. The third type of Congreso Americano real has a small eagle on the obverse and a shortened three-quarter reverse legend. It is possible that other die mulings exist between these two obverse and three reverse dies.

Congreso Americano reales circulated: The Congreso Americano real saw commercial use as evidenced by a number of examples with significant wear. The existence of these worn specimens eliminates the possibility of the Congreso Americano real being a fantasy issue which might be suspected for an issue so unlike any other of the period. Wear is also consistent with an earlier coinage that had plenty of time to circulate during the 1811-1815 period in which the Insurgents controlled large areas. Examples such as that pictured must have continued to circulate long after the war.

1811 Supreme Junta casting madre struck in an unknown location

Where was the Congreso Americano real struck? The Supreme Junta did not have the ability to strike coins in Zitácuaro. In fact, they resorted to casting coins until 1812 when they obtained coining presses. Like the struck 1811 Supreme Junta casting madres (mothers or casting models), the Congreso Americano real was likely coined elsewhere, possibly in Querétaro or Mexico City. A button maker or similar metal craftsman would have had the capability to strike this small size coinage. It would certainly have been less challenging than striking the superb Supreme Junta eight reales of the same period. With two obverse and three reverse dies, it is possible that coins were struck on more than one occasion.

Past attributions: Forces of the Supreme Junta would not master the ability to strike a local coinage until mid-1812 and perhaps this fact resulted in the Congreso Americano real being initially cataloged as an 1813 issue. Surprisingly, Pradeau is silent on this topic. Krause, Aureo & Calico, Burzio, Bruce and Vogt all date the Congreso Americano real as (1813). None of these sources provides any support for the 1813 date and it is unlikely they were aware of the historical contradictions. The Banco de México reports that the coinage was struck in Angangueo, a mining town located between Tlalpujahua and Zitácuaro that was under the command of José María Rayón, brother of President Rayón^{Banco de México (2020), The History of the Coins and Banknotes of Mexico}. No reference or supporting evidence is provided. This may stem from the January, 1813 recall of an Angangueo coinage as reported in Rayón’s diary, a recall that would likely involve a copper issue, perhaps unauthorized SUDs^{Diario Rayón, 10 January 1813. (Ignacio Rayón’s personal secretary (chief of staff ), kept a diary of Rayón daily actions, orders and movements from 1 August 1812 through 6 September 1814 which survives. It is a biassed yet invaluable source of information on this period). Hernández y Dávalos, Juan E, Collection of Documents for the History of the Mexican War of Independence from 1808 to 1821. Volume V. Document 177}. The author has not found the origin of the 1813 Angangueo attribution and welcomes input from readers on this topic.

Eagle grasping a snake: The Congreso Americano Eagle is grasping a snake, another unique aspect that deserves comment. This iconic Mexican national image is well known today and widely believed to have originated from the Aztec founding legend. Many readers will be surprised to learn this is not the case. The snake is actually a European addition. Its first and only appearance on a New World numismatic item before the 1811 Congreso American real was in 1808 where an eagle grasping a snake was depicted on the reverse side of three proclamations by F. Gordillo (Grove F1-3)^{Previous to its numismatic appearance, an Aztec style “Codex Durán” was prepared around 1581 by the Dominican Friar Diego Durán which added a snake to the traditional eagle motif. See Keech “The Evolution of Mexican Symbolism” in USMexNA journal, September 2012.}. A single reverse die was used for all three of these proclamations.

On 5 July 1815, a decree of the Insurgent Congress created a national coat of arms with an eagle clutching a snake, however no Insurgent coinage occurred after 1814. An eagle grasping a snake would not become the common symbolism of Mexico until the 1822 coinage of Iturbide. While the eagle atop a nopal cactus is commonly used on the coinage and counterstamps of the Supreme Junta, none of these issues contains a snake.

1808 Proclamation by F. Gordillo depicting an eagle grasping a snake

So, to catalog:

The Congreso Americano Proclamation real was likely produced in August 1811 for the first Insurgent American Congress at Zitácuaro. This coinage announced the Insurgent American Congress and its proclamation of loyalty to Ferdinand VII. It was produced at an unknown location. There are three types of Congreso Americano reales produced from two obverse and three reverse dies. Uneven and weak strikes are the norm resulting in a coin that often appears only Fine to Very Fine regardless of wear.

 
Real, Struck Silver
Congreso Americano, Type 1; Large Eagle & Continuous Legend

(1811) Large eagle with continuous reverse legend “DEPOSIT.D.L.AUTORID.D.”. Often impaired or damaged from improper cleaning. This is the most common of the three types.
Rarity: Very Scarce but available in Fine to Very Fine condition with higher grades Rare.

Real, Struck Silver
Congreso Americano, Type 2; Large Eagle & ¾ Legend

(1811) Large eagle with ¾ reverse legend “DEPOS.D.L.AUT.D.” . The type 2 real is unlisted in Krause and Aureo & Calico.
Rarity: Rare and the most challenging of the three types. Typical grade will be an impaired Fine to Very Fine.

Real, Struck Silver
Congreso Americano, Type 3; Small Eagle & ¾ Legend

(1811) Small thin eagle with ¾ reverse legend “DEPOS.D.L.AUT.”. The type 3 real is listed in Krause but unlisted in Aureo & Calico.
Rarity: Rare but a little more available than the type 2 real. Typical grade is an impaired Fine to Very Fine

[Author’s note. This article is a chapter in a long-term War for Independence book project. I would like to thank Mike Dunigan and Cory Frampton for reviewing and providing invaluable comments and editing. Readers’ comments are always appreciated and can be emailed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.]