Featured ID MEXICAN SCULPTURE w Pesos

TIA. Metal vintage Mexican sculpture. Pesos embedded black w bronze tones. Bottom embedded w seeds or rice and other things. No clue here. Any ideas to age and what it represents?

 

Hi,
Would make a wonderful VooDoo collection.
greg

 

Interesting. Please post a clear photo of the front so that we can see the face, and a close up of the coins.

 

I think this piece is so odd. I’m not sure if th material. Maybe painted resin?

 

I think he's a Santería figure. Like this.

https://www.nu-botanics.com/product/chango-macho-santeria-statue-13/7332

Debora

 

You’re amazing. TY. Like Greg I first though voodoo and dismissed it since it was clearly Mexican. I think you’re spot on. Now if I can just figure out the material. It’s not cold enough to be metal, I don’t think it’s clay and now I’m thinking resin. There must be more out there so now I can do some searching. It seems to be a tourist piece with the “made in tag”.

 

According to the internet, Santería became popular in México in the 1960s. I can't read the coins -- suspect you can -- but they look 1970s. I think resin likely. And, I don't think this was a tourist piece but I do think it was made for export. The kind of (inexpensive) item that might have been sold at Mexican mercados and pulgas in the U.S.

Debora

 

I wonder what all the stuff on the underside of the base signifies?

 

Here is a something on Changó, he is the Lord of Fire and Lightning:
http://www.aboutsanteria.com/changoacute.html

Offerings?

 

TY. Makes sense to me. My knowledge of Santeria has now increased tenfold at least lol. I thought it was such an odd little piece but now that I know what it is thanks to this incredible board and Debora, I really think it’s odd...

 

I found a Reddit page last night that said these pieces with embedded bits are commonly sold in botanicas and that the embedded bits are "good luck charms" of a sort.

I also came to the conclusion that the statue was Chongo, but couldn't find one that looked much like yours (kept getting tripped up in new stuff).

The one posted on the Reddit page was santa muerte and so most of the thread was dedicated to that, but let me see if i can find it again.

 

The Reddit thread: https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.re.../curious_about_my_friends_little_statue_tiny/

 

I’d better take good care of it Really interesting. I like it more now! TY