Have you noticed the shiny $20 peso coins floating around? They’re slightly bigger and heavier than the $10 peso, but because the two coins look so similar they can be confused. Be alert out there! The most recent issue of the $20 is to commemorate the Battle of Zacatecas.
The back side of the coin shows General Francisco Villa on horseback with Generals Felipe Ángeles and Pánfilo Natera, main masterminds of the battle. On the lower part of the coin is the silhouette of the top of the mountain “La Bufa”, which dominates the city.
The Battle of Zacatecas, known as Toma de Zacatecas, was the bloodiest battle in the campaign to overthrow Mexican President Victoriano Huerta. Zacatecas had a railroad junction that needed to be captured in order for the rebels to advance on Mexico City. General Carranza, leader of the rebellion, was jealous of Pancho Villa and didn’t want him to reach the capital first, so he sent General Pánfilo Natera to capture Zacatecas. That attack failed. Without authorization Villa advanced on the city with his División del Norte. At 10:00 a.m. on 23 June 1914, Villa attacked Zacatecas from all sides, and by the afternoon of that same day the city had fallen.
In total, an estimated 6,000-7,000 defenders were killed, 700 of Villa’s men died, and the civilian death toll is unknown. Countless thousands were wounded.
Modern-day Zacatecas
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