---
title: "What is on Mexico's banknotes?"
description: "The Mexican peso: who is on each denomination, what was withdrawn and why, what the notes are printed on, and whether the sizes differ."
url: https://atoneplace.net/banknote/mexico/
site: "At One Place"
---

# What is on the money in Mexico?

**The money in Mexico: Mexican peso (MXN, $)**

6 denominations in issue · Polymer

The series introduced from 2018 pairs a historical theme on the front with an ecosystem on the reverse, and the 50-peso note carrying an axolotl was named the best banknote design in the world by the International Bank Note Society in 2021. Mexico moved to polymer for its lower denominations early, in 2002, having watched Australia's experience.

## Who and what is on each note

| Note | Who or what is on it |
| --- | --- |
| $20 | The independence movement; the Sian Ka'an biosphere |
| $50 | The founding of Tenochtitlan; the axolotl |
| $100 | Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz; the monarch butterfly forest |
| $200 | Miguel Hidalgo and José María Morelos; the El Vizcaíno desert |
| $500 | Benito Juárez; the grey whale |
| $1,000 | Three figures of the Revolution; the jaguar and the Calakmul forest |

## The unusual part

The 50-peso axolotl note won the IBNS banknote of the year award for 2020, judged on design rather than security.

## The practical facts

- **Currency:** Mexican peso — ISO code MXN, symbol $
- **Printed on:** Polymer
- **Survives a wash?:** Yes. Polymer notes come out of a washing machine intact.
- **Can a blind person tell them apart?:** Yes — the denominations differ in size, which is the simplest and most reliable tactile cue there is.
- **Highest note in issue:** $1,000 — Three figures of the Revolution; the jaguar and the Calakmul forest

> This page describes the notes rather than showing them. Reproducing a banknote image is restricted in most jurisdictions, and the restrictions differ between them.

## Common questions

### Who is on the money in Mexico?

$20: The independence movement; the Sian Ka'an biosphere. $50: The founding of Tenochtitlan; the axolotl. $100: Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz; the monarch butterfly forest. $200: Miguel Hidalgo and José María Morelos; the El Vizcaíno desert. $500: Benito Juárez; the grey whale. $1,000: Three figures of the Revolution; the jaguar and the Calakmul forest.

### Are Mexico's banknotes polymer or paper?

Polymer. Polymer notes last two to three times as long as paper ones and survive a washing machine.

## Related pages

- [Mexico](https://atoneplace.net/country/mexico/)
- [The flag of Mexico](https://atoneplace.net/flag/mexico/)
- [The money in United States](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/united-states/)
- [The money in Eurozone](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/eurozone/)
- [The money in United Kingdom](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/united-kingdom/)
- [The money in India](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/india/)
- [The money in Japan](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/japan/)
- [The money in Zimbabwe](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/zimbabwe/)
- [The money in Australia](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/australia/)
- [The money in Canada](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/canada/)
- [The money in China](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/china/)
- [The money in Switzerland](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/switzerland/)

## Sources

- Official vendor product documentation — At One Place (/about/)