10 Pesos El Imperio Mexicano

Mexico's First Empire lasted less than two years, and the financial infrastructure Iturbide attempted to build lasted even less. These notes were issued by the Junta Provisional Gubernativa's successor government shortly after independence but before any functioning central bank existed — the "empire" was printing paper on institutional faith alone, backed by no meaningful specie reserve. Iturbide was deposed in March 1823, the same year this series circulated, and the empire was formally dissolved by May.

Survival rate is extremely low. The new republic had every incentive to destroy instruments associated with the imperial regime, and most were redeemed or simply discarded during the political transition.