Second Republic 5 Pesetas

The Second Republic's 5 Pesetas coin was struck from pure nickel, a material choice that reflected the era's industrial shortages during the Spanish Civil War.

That nickel came from whatever scraps the Republican mint could gather, including recycled metal from older coins and machinery. The obverse featured a simple coat of arms with the inscription "República Española," while the reverse showed a wreath and the denomination. These coins were produced in Madrid, though production halted abruptly in 1938 as the war turned.

Exact mintage numbers are murky; records from that period often vanished in the conflict's chaos. Still, survivors turn up in collections, their surfaces worn but intact.

If you're handling one, note the edge is reeded to deter counterfeits—a practical touch in uncertain times.