Franco 50 Pesetas

The 50 Pesetas coin from Franco's Spain contained 11.3 grams of .900 fine silver, making it a tangible link to the regime's economic policies during the 1950s and 1960s.

Minted at the Madrid mint, these pieces featured Franco's profile on the obverse and the Spanish coat of arms on the reverse. Production ran from 1957 to 1975, but only the earlier issues used silver; later ones switched to cupronickel as metal prices rose. Exact mintage figures for some years remain unclear, lost in bureaucratic shuffles of the era.

Variations exist, like proof strikes for special sets, though they're rare outside collections. As for myths, no, it wasn't hoarded en masse despite the silver—people needed the cash.

Edge lettering included the motto "UNA, GRANDE, LIBRE," a slogan of the time that wore down quickly in pockets.