Mexico KM#485 5 pesos 1980-1985 VF (Very Fine)—Quetzalcóatl serpent god
Mexico KM#485 5 pesos 1980-1985 VF (Very Fine)—Quetzalcóatl serpent god
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You will receive a coin of the design indicated from a random year of the range shown in Very Fine or better condition
Reverse: Serpent god Quetzalcóatl
Composition Copper-nickel (75% Copper, 25% Nickel)
Weight 10.25 g
Diameter 27.24 mm
Thickness 2.21 mm
Shape Round
Technique Milled
Orientation Coin alignment ↑↓
Demonetized 15 November 1995
Number N#818
References KM# 485, Schön# 77
Quetzalcoatl
from the Nahuatl ("Aztec") language root words:
- quetzalli meaning: precious green feather, especially of the quetzal bird
- cōātl meaning: serpent, snake
Quetzalcoatl is one of the central gods of Mesoamerica—revered across cultures and centuries, not owned by any single people. He was
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A creator and culture-bringer: associated with knowledge, writing, calendars, wind, fertility, and civilization itself.
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Wind god: often merged with Ehecatl, the breath that sets the sun in motion.
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Moral counterweight: in many traditions he stands opposite darker, sacrificial forces—not anti-sacrifice everywhere, but symbolically restraint, order, and renewal.
Across civilizations
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Teotihuacan (c. 100–550 CE): the Feathered Serpent appears early, monumental, and cosmic.
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Toltec tradition: becomes Topiltzin Quetzalcoatl, a semi-legendary priest-king—ethical reformer, exile, and mythic returner.
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Mexica (Aztec): a major deity, not the supreme one, but essential—linked to creation cycles and priestly legitimacy.
This continuity makes Quetzalcoatl less a single “god” than a civilizational idea that traveled and evolved.
Creation myths
In one widely told cycle, Quetzalcoatl descends to the underworld to recover the bones of past humanity. Mixed with his own blood, they become the current human race. Creation here is self-sacrifice, not domination.
The “Spanish confusion” myth
Later colonial narratives claimed the Mexica mistook Hernán Cortés for a returning Quetzalcoatl. Modern scholarship is blunt: this is almost certainly a Spanish invention, crafted after the conquest to frame it as destiny rather than invasion.
How to understand him cleanly-
Not a Christian precursor
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Not a historical European visitor
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Not merely a serpent
He is feather and scale: earth and sky, matter and breath—a god of ordered intelligence moving through time.
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Who is World Money Store?
World Money Store is me, Βrian Grοss, the sole proprietor of this small business, based in Washington D.C. I've spend half my adult life in The Netherlands and Mexico and have an addiction to travel, history and languages (Spanish, Dutch Russian and a few others); Arabic my current challenge. My personal instagram is @df2dc.
I've been on ebay for 22 years, and I am also on Whatnot. I put together the website myself, and do all the purchasing.
I travel around the world to personally select a range of banknotes that I KNOW match the interests of my customers, and by traveling to the right places, I get them at the best prices, too.
I have three main groups of customers:
1. the ones who love diverse colorful and affordable notes from around the world
2. those who love to own pieces of the propaganda of communist dictatorships (Cuba, North Korea) and "bad guys" like the Ayatollah, Saddam, Gadaffi. Iran (Shah, Ayatollah), Syria (Assad, current).
3. those who seek Venezuelan and Iranian currency. We sell banknotes for collecting purposes only (our intention).
I happen to have a lot of depth and breadth in Mexico and Brazil, in addition to Cuba and Iran.
I don't focus on anything from the U.S. and Canada, items from before World War II, "lucky" serial numbers, or PMG-graded items.
Buy with Confidence
- You will receive (a) banknote(s) similar to the one in the picture, in the condition mentioned in the listing title such as UNC, VF, etc. See below for definitions.
- Serial numbers will vary
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Banknote Condition Guide (UNC, XF, VF, F etc.)
- UNC (Uncirculated): No folds/creases; full crispness/sheen. May have "half moon" at edge of security thread.
- AU (About Uncirculated): Nearly perfect, with a single light fold or handling mark that doesn't break the paper. Crisp and colorful.
- XF a.k.a. EF (Extremely Fine): Crisp, firm, bright; a few light folds or one firm crease.
- VF Plus: Minor folds/stains; white areas are bright, still not quite Extra Fine.
- VF (Very Fine): Several folds; paper firmer than average; corners lightly worn.
- VF Minus: VF but may show foxing (yellow/brown patches), thinner paper, more folds/wrinkles/small tears (1-3 mm), otherwise intact.
- F (Fine): Well-used, many folds or creases; paper is soft; some soiling and/or pen marks.
- VG (Very Good) / Limp/worn/faded with heavy creasing/edge wear/tears.