SPAIN, Alfonso XII, 5 Pesetas 1885 (1886) MS-M, VF+/VF-XF

Alfonso XII (1874-85)

SPAIN, Alfonso XII, 5 Pesetas 1885 (1886) MS-M, VF+/VF-XF

Name: SPAIN, Alfonso XII, 5 Pesetas 1885 (1886) MS-M, VF+/VF-XF
SKU: E223
Price: 57 EUR
Availability: InStock

Availability:

In stock

Obverse: The bust of Alfonso XII facing left and the date below, legend around.

Legend (Spanish): ALFONSO XII POR LA G·DE DIOS; * 1885 *

Engraver: Gregorio Sellán González

Reverse: The crowned arms of Spain with pillars, value below, legend around. Mint official’s initials: M (M. Morejon), S (P. Sala), M (A. Mendoza)

Legend (Spanish): REY CONSTL. DE E S P A Ñ A; PLUS ULTRA; M·S· 5 PESETAS ·M·

Engraver: Gregorio Sellán González

Edge: 27 fleurs-de-lis

The pictures provided are of the actual coin for sale.

Guaranteed genuine.

57 €

In stock

Country	Spain
Ruler	Alfonso XII (1874-85)
Face Value	5 Pesetas
Year of issue	1886
Metal	Silver
Fineness	900
Catalogue #	KM# 688; Calico 61; Cayon 17517
Weight, g.	24,83
Diameter, mm.	37,55
Our code	E223
Die Axis	↑↓
Additional info	1885 (1886)

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22 August 2025 (updated 08 July 2026):

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Date in Stars

The Date in Stars: Understanding Spanish Peseta Coinage

Among the many curious conventions of European numismatics, few are as distinctive – or as frequently misunderstood – as the dating system used on Spanish peseta coins. From the introduction of the peseta in 1868 until 1982, Spanish coins carried not one but two dates: a large, prominently struck year on the obverse, and a second, hidden date concealed within two small six-pointed stars elsewhere on the coin. For the uninitiated, this can be baffling. For the collector, it is one of the most fascinating peculiarities of the entire series.

How the system works

The large date visible on the coin is not the year of minting. It is the authorization date – the year in which the law governing the issue of that particular coin was passed. The actual year of striking is found inside the stars, where two small numerals are incused, one in each star, together forming a four-digit year. The first star typically carries the first two digits (usually 19) and the second carries the last two. A coin catalogued as “5 Pesetas 1949 *50”, for example, was authorized in 1949 but actually struck in 1950.

In numismatic references and price guides, the star date is conventionally written with an asterisk preceding the number – a notation collectors quickly learn to read.

Why it matters enormously

This system is far more than a historical curiosity. The star date can make the difference between a coin worth a few dollars and one worth thousands. The most dramatic illustration comes from the 5 Pesetas of 1949: with the star date *50, the coin is common and essentially valueless in numismatic terms. With the star date *52 – a year when only a tiny number of pieces were struck – the same coin in comparable condition can fetch prices approaching €15.000. Same obverse date. Same design. Worlds apart in value.

Forgeries and blank stars

Precisely because of such discrepancies, star dates have attracted forgers willing to alter the incused numerals to simulate a rarer variety. Collectors examining high-value pieces should scrutinize the stars carefully under magnification. Conversely, coins with completely blank stars – known as estrellas anepígrafas – are not necessarily forgeries. They may represent genuine minting errors in which the inner numerals were never punched, and depending on the coin, such pieces can carry a modest premium of their own.

A system unique to Spain

No other major European coinage tradition employed this dual-dating convention in quite the same way, which gives the peseta series a character entirely its own. Whether you are assembling a type set of Alfonso XIII silver or hunting the elusive varieties of the Franco era, reading the stars is not optional – it is the first thing any serious collector of Spanish coins must learn to do.