Second Republic 1 Peseta

The 1931 1 Peseta coin was the first Spanish currency to feature a design without royal insignia, replacing the Bourbon crest with a simple wreath and the inscription "República Española."

That shift came with the adoption of aluminum-bronze, a lightweight alloy that helped stretch scarce resources during the early Republic years. The coins were struck at the Madrid mint, using planchets that might have included recycled metals from older issues, though exact sources remain murky. We know production ran through 1937, but records from that chaotic period are spotty at best.

Edge lettering on these pieces often shows wear quickly, a nuisance for handlers like me who've turned over thousands. If you think it's just another forgettable bronze, well, that's the point—it was meant to be practical, not poetic.