Aztec Calendar 5oz Silver Minted Bar

The Aztec Calendar Stone, currently housed in the National Anthropology Museum in Mexico City, is the most famous work of Aztec sculpture in history. This incredibly intricate stone measures 12 feet in diameter, is over three feet thick, and weighs in at a whopping 24 tons. It was carved around the year 1500 as a means to describe the origins of the cosmos and the structure of the universe as the Aztecs saw it. And to this day, the Aztec Calendar stone endures as one of the most prominent emblems of Mexican culture.

The Aztec Calendar is an amazing system of tracking days and time as well as the significance of that day and how it would be impactful in a positive or negative spiritually, religiously and personally as well as for an event or occasion.

A 52 year 365-day cycle system of 18 20 day cycles that aligned with another 260-day rotation with a 13-day cycle gave every year and day a unique name and number identification. Years, Days and periods have a name and number identification like 7 rabbit 1 wind 7 reed as well as a governing diety. To our current calendar system, this all seems very complex with a lot to remember.

DESIGN

The reverse depicts the famous Aztec Calendar stone. The design is in a circular shape resembling a sun, with rays emanating outward. In the centre is the face of the Aztec solar deity, Tonatiuh, which gives the monolith its alternate name the Sun Stone. He is shown holding a human heart in each of his clawed hands, and his tongue is represented by a stone sacrificial blade. He is surrounded by a ring of 20 symbols that represent the 20 days of the Aztec month, along with four scrolled arrows pointed in the four cardinal directions.

The obverse depicts the striking left portrait of Cuauhtemoc, the last Aztec Emperor of Tenochtitlan. The name Cuauhtemoc means “Descending Eagle”, as in the moment when an eagle folds its wings and plummets down to strike its prey. He was executed on the orders of Spanish Conquistador Hernn Corts in 1525, and his face appears on Mexican banknotes, paintings, music, and popular culture to this day. He wears the traditional headdress and ear ornaments of the Aztec elite, and is surrounded by an Aztec border as well as the inscriptions of his name and the metal content, weight, and purity.

PRESENTATION

Individual Aztec Calendar 5oz silver minted bars come in Swan Bullion stylised plastic flips. Multiples of 10 are provided in tubes.

Technical Specifications