Spain’s modern coinage runs from the peseta decreed on 19 October 1868 — deliberately modeled on the French franc at 100 céntimos to the peseta — through the Bourbon restoration gold “alfonsinos,” the Franco era, and euro adoption, with the colonial 8 reales “piece of eight” as its deep-history anchor. The peseta converted at 1€ = 166.386 pesetas (book money 1999, cash 2002). Collector nicknames to know: duro (5 pesetas), pela (1 peseta).
Denominations
8 Reales “Pillar Dollar” (1732–1773)
- Issued: 1732–1773 (columnario “pillar dollar” type; the 8 reales denomination ran from the 1500s through the 1800s)
- Composition: silver (example: Mexico City 1771 — 27.07 g, 39 mm)
- Key dates: collectors chase by mint, date, and assayer — the workhorse mints are Mexico City, Potosí, and Lima (minor: Bogotá, Popayán, Guatemala City, Santiago); the mint mark on the reverse identifies origin
- Notable varieties: pillar dollars (“columnarios”) with crowned globes between the Pillars of Hercules, PLUS ULTRA motto, and VTRAQUE VNUM legend (1732–1773); the later portrait type (from 1772) is also collected in this series. Pillar dollars were legal tender in the United States until 1857 — the direct ancestor of the US silver dollar
In this wiki:
Value: Check live sold listings on the linked guide before buying or pricing.
5 Pesetas Silver “Duro” (1869–1870)
- Issued: 1869–1870 (Provisional Government — the first coins denominated in pesetas)
- Composition: 25 g, .900 fine silver, 37 mm — the large silver crown of the new decimal system (the 1-peseta of the same issue weighed 5 g at .835 fine)
- Key dates: struck only in 1869 and 1870 at Madrid, with star-date varieties
- Notable varieties: “Duro” became one of Spain’s most enduring coin nicknames; the date appears in the stars flanking the portrait
In this wiki:
Value: Check live sold listings on the linked guide before buying or pricing.
25 Pesetas Gold “Alfonsino” (1876–1885)
- Issued: 1876–1885 (Alfonso XII, Restoration Spain; youthful-portrait KM673 and bearded-portrait KM687 types)
- Composition: .900 fine gold, 8.0645 g, 0.2333 oz actual gold weight (Madrid mint)
- Key dates: documented issues include 1877 and 1878 (youthful portrait) and 1881, 1883, and 1884 (bearded portrait)
- Notable varieties: two portrait types — youthful and bearded; the real date hides in the stars flanking the portrait and sometimes differs from the visible date (e.g., “18 81” in the stars); reverse carries the crowned arms of Spain with REY CONSTL. DE ESPAÑA
- Mintage highlights: 5,192,000 documented for the 1878 (78)-DEM issue and 4,366,000 for the 1881 (81) issue (Heritage Auctions lot records)
In this wiki:
Value: Check live sold listings on the linked guide before buying or pricing. For metal value, use the melt calculator.
Spanish Euro Coins (2002–)
- Issued: 2002–date (euro book money 1999; Spain struck euros dated 1999, 2000, and 2001 ahead of circulation)
- Composition: standard euro circulating compositions by denomination
- Key dates: the pre-circulation 1999–2001 dates are the fun hunt in this series
- Notable varieties: Miguel de Cervantes on the 10/20/50-cent coins; commemorative €2 coins are issued regularly and are legal tender across the euro area
In this wiki:
Value: Check live sold listings on the linked guide before buying or pricing.
Bullion & modern issues
Spain issues no flagship modern bullion coin. The 25 Pesetas “Alfonsino” gold above is the classic Spanish gold piece — slightly heavier in gold than the French 20 francs and one of the most available classic Spanish gold coins — and trades near melt when worn.
In this wiki:
Value: Check live sold listings on the linked guide before buying or pricing. For metal value, use the melt calculator.
Values move; always check live sold listings on the linked guides. Key dates and high-value pieces require authentication.
Values move — always check sold listings on the linked entries before buying or pricing. Colonial 8 reales are among the most counterfeited world coins in the hobby: collectors commonly buy certified examples or from established specialists, and weight/diameter/magnet checks are first-pass screens only. High-grade alfonsinos also warrant certified examples.
Europe Red Book v2 research chapter, published September 15, 2026. Values are intentionally excluded; use authenticated sold-market evidence.