50 Centavos Pattern, Caballito, Plain Edge, Silver

The Caballito peso and its fractional patterns of 1907 were produced under the monetary reform legislation pushed through by Finance Minister José Ives Limantour as part of Porfirio Díaz's broader modernization program. The 50 centavos pattern in plain edge — distinct from the reeded-edge circulation strikes — was almost certainly produced for presentation or approval purposes, not commerce. Limantour's reform pegged the peso to gold and demonetized silver, meaning these very coins were being designed at the moment silver's monetary role in Mexico was being systematically dismantled.

The Caballito series took its name from Enrique Torreblanca's equestrian design, commissioned to replace the older Cap and Rays coinage. PL#01 suggests this is the earliest recorded die pairing for the plain-edge variety.