Utilizați butonul de Translate din dreapta pagini pentru traducere.
The new Spanish 5-euro silver coin dedicated to Toledo Cathedral now has a design that we can examine in detail. The cathedral's tower rises above the rooftops, while a large rose window fills the background of the coin. This is Spain's contribution to the 14th Ibero-American Series of 2026, a collection whose nine designs take us on a journey from Iguazu Falls to the traditions that remain alive in communities across the Americas.
Argentina, Bolivia, Spain, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, and the Dominican Republic are participating in this edition dedicated to Ibero-American heritage. We now know what each country has chosen and how it has been represented on its currency: nature, architecture, archaeology, music, and popular celebrations all brought together in a single numismatic collection.
Spain: eight centuries of Toledo Cathedral on one coin
The Spanish selection coincides with the eighth centenary of the start of construction on Toledo's Gothic cathedral in 1226. Eight centuries later, its towers, portals, stained-glass windows, and interior spaces preserve the work of generations of architects and artists. The coin features two elements of the building—its silhouette and the rose window—and combines them in a composition that blends a colored image with the relief of the silver.
Obverse: the coats of arms of the nine countries
The coat of arms of Spain occupies the center, within a circle surrounded by the legend "FELIPE VI KING OF SPAIN" and the year 2026. The national coats of arms of the nine participating countries are distributed around the outer area. This arrangement allows for immediate recognition of the series' membership in the Ibero-American Series and ensures that the symbols of all the countries accompany each national contribution.
Obverse of the 2026 Spanish coin, featuring the coat of arms of Spain and those of the participating countries.
Reverse: a view of the cathedral above its rose window
The color image shows Toledo Cathedral with its tower rising above the rooftops. Behind it is a detail of the rose window on the west façade, its form occupying a large part of the field. To the left, a four-lobed motif encloses the face value "5 EURO" and the mint mark, a crowned M. At the top are the inscriptions "XIV IBERO-AMERICAN SERIES" and "TOLEDO CATHEDRAL".
The Toledo Cathedral and a detail of its rose window are featured on the Spanish reverse side.
Technical specifications of the Spanish currency
Feature Data from Spain
Face value 5 euros
Metrics 4 reales
Composition 925 fine silver; the rest is copper
Weight 13.50 g
Diameter 33 mm
Quality Proof
Singing Fluted
Year of minting 2026
Maximum emission 4,000 coins
Argentina: Iguazu Falls and the life that surrounds them
The Iguazu Falls appear accompanied by a butterfly in the Argentinian design.
The Iguazu Falls stretch across the background of the Argentine coin. In the foreground appears a butterfly, alongside the water's surface, and the inscription identifies the location. The combination allows the design to be interpreted as an image of the landscape and the life that inhabits the surrounding rainforest.
Located on the border between Argentina and Brazil, the falls are part of a subtropical forest environment of immense biodiversity. Iguazu National Park, in the Argentine province of Misiones, has been a World Heritage Site since 1984. The force of the falls and the resulting humidity create a landscape where water, vegetation, and wildlife are inextricably linked. The butterfly adds a small, intimate detail of this ecosystem to the monumental grandeur of the waterfalls.
Bolivia: Tiwanaku, a civilization predating the Incas
Ceremonial architecture and a Tiwanaku monolith are the main features of the Bolivian piece.
Bolivia 's coin combines a view of the stepped access to a ceremonial structure at Tiwanaku with a large monolith on the right. The human figures carved in stone and the architectural blocks are two of the most recognizable images of this archaeological site.
Near the southern shore of Lake Titicaca, on the Bolivian altiplano, Tiwanaku was an important political and religious center. The civilization that built it reached its peak between 500 and 900 CE, long before the expansion of the Inca Empire. Its remains offer a glimpse into a society with its own monumental tradition, whose influence extended across large areas of the southern Andes.
Guatemala: Giant kites that connect generations
Guatemala has chosen giant kites. The design features several of these large circular structures, their patterns and colors displayed against a background of sky and mountains. The inscription "SUMPANGO-GUATEMALA" places the motif in one of the communities most closely linked to this tradition.
In Sumpango and Santiago Sacatepéquez, making kites requires months of collective work. Their surfaces are decorated with colorful paper and designs that can convey messages about nature, community, or human rights. They are displayed or flown during the All Saints' Day and Day of the Dead celebrations as a way of connecting with ancestors. UNESCO inscribed the technique of making these giant kites on its list of intangible cultural heritage in 2024.
The characters and masks of El Güegüense appear on Nicaraguan currency.
This satirical play from the colonial era is performed especially during the San Sebastián festivities in Diriamba. In his encounters with the authorities, the central character uses ambiguity, cunning, and humor to defend himself. The tradition blends indigenous and Spanish elements and is preserved through its performers, musicians, dancers, and mask makers. Recognized by UNESCO, it contributes to the collection a heritage that comes alive each time it is performed.
Paraguay: the harp that carries the country's music around the world
The Paraguayan harp is depicted in color against a background of geometric patterns.
Harps arrived in the Americas during the colonial period, but in Paraguay they developed their own unique construction, technique, and repertoire. Their sound became a hallmark of the country's popular music. Performers like Félix Pérez Cardozo contributed to their international renown. The coin thus pays tribute to the work of those who craft the instrument, the musicians who play it, and the knowledge passed down through generations.
Peru: Qorikancha, the golden enclosure dedicated to the Sun
The Peruvian piece brings together the Inca architecture of Qorikancha and the later constructions of Santo Domingo.
Qorikancha, whose name is interpreted as "golden enclosure ," was one of the great Inca religious centers, dedicated to the worship of Inti, the Sun. Chronicles describe the richness of its gold coverings, while its preserved walls demonstrate the precision of the stonemasons' work. After the conquest, Dominican construction transformed the complex. This layering makes the image on the coin a particularly clear way to observe the different layers of Peruvian history.
Portugal: The aqueduct that withstood the Lisbon earthquake
The arcades of the Alcântara Valley star in the Portuguese design of Nuno Caetano.
The structure was part of the water supply system developed for Lisbon in the 18th century. Its Alcântara section comprises 35 arches and survived the 1755 earthquake, which devastated much of the city. The infrastructure eventually became a symbol of the Lisbon landscape. The INCM confirms a €7.50 version in 925 sterling silver and Proof quality, limited to 5,000 pieces; the Portuguese program also includes a cupronickel version.
Dominican Republic: the first cathedral in America
The facade of the Cathedral of Santo Domingo, the first cathedral in the Americas, appears on Dominican currency.
Also known as Santa María la Menor, the cathedral is located in the Colonial Zone of Santo Domingo and was built in the 16th century. It is the first cathedral erected on the American continent. Its coral stone walls and Gothic and Renaissance elements demonstrate the adaptation of European models to the Caribbean. This Dominican landmark is thus a fundamental monument for understanding the beginnings of cathedral architecture in the Americas.
Spanish coins, individually or as part of a complete collection
In our first preview of the 2026 Ibero-American Series, we learned about the common theme and the Portuguese coin. With the nine designs now identified, each country contributes a specific story to that shared heritage.
Niciun comentariu:
Trimiteți un comentariu