Spanish 5 pesetas silver, Alfonso XIII
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
Late 19th to early 20th century
Issuing entity
Kingdom of SpainThe Spanish silver 5 pesetas of Alfonso XIII is a crown-sized coin, also known as a duro, produced under Latin Monetary Union standards in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Struck in.900 fine silver, this denomination represented five pesetas, officially fixed as equal to one traditional peso duro.
The coins feature successive portraits of Alfonso XIII, who became monarch at his birth in 1886 and reigned under the regency of his mother, Maria Christina of Austria, until reaching his majority in 1902. Issued as part of Spain's decimal currency system, these pieces were the largest regular silver denomination minted for the monarch, reflecting his likeness from childhood into maturity.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 3
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Historical context
Although Spain chose not to formally join the Latin Monetary Union, it aligned its currency with union standards in 1868, defining five pesetas as equal to one peso duro. While total issuance was capped to maintain parity with the silver franc, plentiful supplies of duros circulated throughout Spain during the regency and reign of Alfonso XIII.
Identification
- Recognition pointers (from background sources)
- Look for the obverse portrait of Alfonso XIII, which varies across successive issues to show the monarch aging from childhood to adulthood. Verify the denomination of 5 pesetas (duro), struck in .900 fine silver on the Latin Monetary Union standard. Examine the small six-pointed stars on the coin surface to locate the actual mintage year, which often differs from the prominent authorization date on the obverse.
Documentation checklist
- Denomination
- Research required
- Issue or mint date
- Recorded
- Material
- Research required
- Weight
- Research required
- Mint or printer
- Research required
- Mint or printer mark
- Research required
- Catalogue reference
- Research required
- Attached photograph (check rights)
- Recorded
Recorded means a field is present, not independently verified. Read its wording, supporting source and the entry’s confidence level.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Exact date range, star-dated mint years and assayer initials require verification from a standard catalogue