A Beautiful Mexican Silver Coin From Quartzsite, Arizona

Yesterday I saw a post by @ecoinstant , he was visiting Guadalajara, Mexico. I have to admit I was a bit jealous, that is such a fun city. Back in the 90's I had a friend who went to medical school there and I visited him a few times. It was a blast, with so much to do. Sadly, since the whole cartel mess popped up in Mexico I haven't been back and I used to visit fairly frequently.

Reading his post did get me thinking about several silver coins I have from Mexico. I've been meaning to share more of them with everyone for some time now. I picked up a lot of silver Mexican coins when I lived close to the border in Arizona back in the 2000's. They were an inexpensive way to buy silver and I took advantage. These days Mexican silver coins have become expensive, so I'm glad I bought when I did.

This particular coin I picked up in Quartzsite, Arizona when I was passing through. It's kind of a odd town full of mineral and rock shops , but it's a lot of fun to explore. If you're ever passing through take a couple of hours to look around, you won't regret it! Back to the coin...

It's a 1943 20 Centavos coin and is in pretty good condition. have a look:

About the coin:

From numista.com

Although not a real big coin, it's not been horribly circulated and you can see all of the details well. What I have always loved in Mexican coinage is the nice detailing they have always done. This is no exception! Although it's only 3.3 grams of .720 silver worth about $2.50 at silver spot price today. It's probably worth at least $5 or more to a collector, and I think I paid $1 for it. At the time I though I overpaid, but it was too cool to pass up!

Quartzsite, Arizona

Gordon Leggett

fity.club

trip101.com

Often referred to as the gem capital of the world, Quartzsite is a small town along the I-10 freeway near the California border (halfway between Phoenix and Los Angeles.) The best time to visit is in winter when the temperatures are very pleasant, not hot or cold. But in summer it can reach 122 F (50 C), the desert southwest of the US can be very hot. There are several gem shows here yearly and the RV parks fill up quickly and a reservation is a good idea. There aren't many nice hotels...

There are some really nice rock and gem shops to check out. My favorite has always been T-Rocks, they have an amazing selection of mineral and gem stones. If you like pretty rocks, it a must see. The are a couple of gem shops nearby and even a gum wrapper museum. Yes, gum wrappers. A lady put together a museum of gum wrappers from around the world. It's interesting, but unless you are a huge gum fan, you might want to pass.

If you are into off road vehicles this is a great place as well. Miles and miles of trails and open desert. It's not as nice as Moab, Utah, but few place are when it comes to off roading!

There is also some interesting history to be found as well. In 1856 Jefferson Davis was the secretary of war of the United States. He later became the president of the Confederacy during the Civil War. However, he felt that camels would be a great way to help settlers cross the desert southwest. So, he arranged for camels to be imported and hired a Syrian camel trainer named Hadji Ali. The program failed as the Civil War broke out and the camels were released into the wild. Hadji stayed in the US and settled in Quartzsite, he became a beloved member of the town going by the nickname Hi Jolly. He died in 1902 at age 74 and the town build him an tomb of petrified wood and quartz that took several weeks to construct. He ended up with his very own pyramid!

pinterest.com

A great piece of American history to see right there outside of Quartzsite. The irony was that the camels long outlived Hi Jolly, they were last sighted in 1942. It's sad the program never really had a chance to get going because it probably would have been a huge success.

At any rate, Quartzsite is a funky, cool little town to visit if you're ever driving between Los Angeles, California and Phoenix, Arizona.

That will wrap up my post for today. I bet you never saw that twist coming, a Mexican coin leading to a post about Quartzsite. To be honest it wasn't planned, it just happened... I hope you enjoyed the coin and learning about Quartzsite and Hadji Ali. Too bad the camels aren't around anymore though. Please feel free to leave any comments or questions below, and thank you for all of your support. Have a great week everyone!

References:

https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces5566.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quartzsite%2C_Arizona

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hi_Jolly_Monument

Disclaimer:

I am not a financial planner and this isn't financial advice. Please always do your own research before investing your money. You worked hard enough to earn it!

All pictures are mine unless otherwise indicated

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