▁after ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁trade ▁with ▁Asia ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 7 th ▁century . ▁Mexico ’ s ▁abund ance ▁made ▁silver ▁an ▁important ▁form ▁of ▁currency ▁and ▁silver ▁working ▁gu ild s ▁gained ▁prest ige ▁and ▁power , ▁mostly ▁in ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁co ins , ▁silver ware , ▁religious ▁med all ions , ▁cross es ▁and ▁lit urg ical ▁items . ▁Ind igen ous ▁silver ▁j ew el ry ▁often ▁became ▁marked ▁by ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁silver ▁co ins ▁as ▁decor ation . ▁Trade ▁with ▁the ▁Orient ▁introduced ▁elements ▁to ▁silver ▁pieces ▁such ▁as ▁p ear ls ▁( l ater ▁augment ed ▁by ▁those ▁found ▁in ▁the ▁G ulf ▁of ▁California ), ▁t urt le ▁shell ▁ ▁and ▁colored ▁glass ▁from ▁Europe . ▁The ▁last ▁was ▁particularly ▁popular ▁with ▁ind igen ous ▁communities . ▁ ▁One ▁item ▁that ▁was ▁important ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 th ▁century ▁were ▁cig aret te ▁and ▁sn uff ▁cases ▁made ▁of ▁both ▁silver ▁and ▁gold , ▁as ▁the ▁habit ▁of ▁using ▁to b acco ▁became ▁very ▁fashion able ▁among ▁the ▁upper ▁classes . ▁The ▁creation ▁of ▁the ▁cases ▁w an ed ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁as ▁lower ▁classes ▁began ▁to ▁use ▁to b acco ▁as ▁well . ▁ ▁Independ ence ▁to ▁the ▁present ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁Mexican ▁War ▁of ▁Independ ence , ▁much ▁of ▁Mexico ▁metal working ▁continued ▁to ▁follow ▁European ▁tr ends , ▁with ▁elements ▁added ▁such ▁as ▁Mexican ▁national ▁symbols . ▁Silver work ▁became ▁less ▁Bar o que ▁in ▁nature ▁and