The 1940 film "Mark of Zorro" is set in the small Spanish Califoria town of Los Angeles, early in the 19th century. Diego Vega, a young nobleman born in California, attends an officer school in Spain. He returns to California to find that his father has been forcibly removed as Alcalde (Mayor) of the town and that the new town Alcalde, Don Luis Quintero, along with the local military chief, Captain Esteban Pasquale, are running the town under a dictatorship and oppressing the residents by constantly raising and collecting taxes. Diego poses as an effeminate fop or dandy but soon assumes a second identity as a masked outlaw "Zorro" or "The Fox." Zorro eventually leads a revolution and convinces the Alcalde to resign and move to Spain. A peasant pays taxes in coins which sit on the tax collector's desk, and later a chest of coins is found in the local church. The prop coins in the chest are "Prosperity Lucky Ship Good Luck Coin" tokens.

Diego Vega returns from Spain to Los Angeles, California. He hears about the dictatorial activities of the new mayor and then gets to meet him.

Don Luis Quintero is the Alcalde or Mayor, he is married to Inez who does not the rural life in California and wants to go to fashionable Spain. Captain Pasquale is the chief of the local military force and is Don Luis' partner. Diego heads home to see his family along with Father Felipe, a monk or friar.

Don Alejandro, Diego's father, describes the oppression but refuses to condone a revolution. Diego insists that he cares only about fashion and clothes, and appears to be a "fop" or dandy, which makes his parents unhappy. Zorro makes his first appearance in town.

Zorro replaces the mayor's latest tax increase proclamation with one of his own.

Zorro also leaves his mark, hence the title of the film.

The mark is a letter 'Z' made with his sword. The Quinteros are out for a ride when they have to stop.

Zorro relieves Don Luis of his money bag and Inez of a necklace. In town the tax collector assembles the peasants for a new round of taxes.

A peasant pleads for relief but is refused, and then puts his money on the table.

These appear to be standard motion picture prop coins. Diego meets Lolita Quintero, Inez' niece.

Zorro posts another notice.

The mayor offers rewards for Zorro of 5,000 pesos and then 20,000 pesos. Captain Pasquale finds out that Father Felipe has been assisting Zorro and confronts him. The captain finds a chest of money, too much for a church man to have, he doesn't need to be Sherlock Holmes to figure that the Father is keeping the proceeds of Zorro's robberies.

The captain opens the chest.

Some of the prop coins are Prosperity Lucky Ship Good Luck Coins.

White metal, 30 mm, 10.38 gm
Obverse:
Woman standing holding cornucopia, rising sun to right
PROSPERITY / 1932 / LUCKY COIN
Reverse:
Sailing ship facing right
LUCKY SHIP / SUCCESS TO YOU

For more about this coin please visit: Prosperity Lucky Ship Good Luck Coin

The captain takes the Father to the local jail and then sees the Mayor. The pair have finally discovered that Diego is Zorro. Diego appears and argues with the captain leading to a climactic swordfight.

Diego bests the captain but is then arrested by the soldiers. Diego tells the jail guard that he can change copper centavos into gold coins, and lures him into the cell, allowing Diego and Father Felipe to escape. The pair appear in town where the soldiers are trying to break up a demonstration. Their appearance causes a revolution.

The mayor announces that he has decided to resign and move to Spain.

Diego and Lolita are together with Inez who is happy about leaving dull California and moving to Spain. Originally Diego was to return to Spain but he decides not to.

They announce that they are going to raise "fat babies" in California.

Tyrone Power as Diego Vega
Linda Darnell as Lolita Quintero
Basil Rathbone as Capt. Esteban Pasquale
J. Edward Bromberg as Don Luis Quintero
Gale Sondergaard as Inez Quintero
Eugene Pallette as Fray Felipe
Director: Rouben Mamoulian
Writers: John Taintor Foote, Garrett Fort, Bess Meredyth, Johnston McCulley ("The Curse of Capistrano")