4653) Don Álvaro de Bazán y Guzmán (1526-1588), Spain: Quincentenary Anniversary of his Birth (1526-2026): Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre-Real Casa de la Moneda (FNMT) has issued a 5 Euro – 4 Reales, Silver Proof & Colour Coin celebrating his Birth Anniversary: Date/Year of Coin issue: 2026:
The Header/Banner showcases Silver Proof and Colour 5 Euro – 4 Reales Coins which mark the Quincentenary Anniversary of Álvaro de Bazán, against a background representation of his right facing effigy.
The year 2026 marks the
fifth centenary of the birth of Don Álvaro de Bazán y Guzmán (1526-1588) first
Marquis of Santa Cruz, and one of the most prominent figures in Spanish naval
history.
He is best remembered for his decisive victory during the Battle of
Lepanto and his contribution to consolidating the maritime supremacy of the
Spanish Monarchy in the 16th century.
The Battle of Lepanto was a
naval engagement that took place on 7 October 1571 when a fleet of the Holy
League, a coalition of Catholic states arranged by Pope Pius V and led by the
navies of the Spanish Empire and the Republic of Venice, inflicted a major
defeat on the fleet of the Ottoman Empire in the Gulf of Patras.
The Ottoman
forces were sailing westward from their naval station in Lepanto (the Venetian
name of ancient Naupactus – Greek Ναύπακτος, Turkish İnebahtı) when they met
the fleet of the Holy League which was sailing east from Messina, Sicily.
Lepanto marks the last major
engagement in the Western world to be fought almost entirely between rowing
vessels, namely the galleys and galleasses, which were the direct
descendants of ancient trireme warships.
The battle was in essence an "infantry
battle on floating platforms".
It was the largest naval battle in
Western history since classical antiquity, involving more than 450 warships.
Over the following decades, the increasing importance of the galleon would
displace the galley as the major warship of its era, marking the beginning of
the "Age of Sail".
The victory of the Holy League is of great importance in the history of Europe and of the Ottoman
Empire, with the Ottoman fleet almost completely destroyed.
The Ottomans
rapidly rebuilt their fleet, but the loss of qualified crews during the battle led
to a sharp decrease of their naval initiative after 1580
Throughout his extraordinary
career, Álvaro de Bazán remained undefeated in combat, demonstrating
exceptional strategic vision and unwavering determination.
His legacy embodies
reliability, fortitude, and the pursuit of excellence—values that
continue to inspire generations.
Bazán
has been considered the prime naval commander in the history of Spain.
He is
credited with developments in amphibious warfare as well as pioneering the
strategic usage of several kinds of ships, refining the designs of existent vessels
and popularising galleons as warships, ultimately making possible many of the
successes of the Spanish Empire during the 16th and 17th centuries.
Bazán also played a
significant role in incorporating the Kingdom of Portugal to that of Spain
resulting from the War of the Portuguese Succession.
Fought between 1580 and
1583, its conclusion placed King Felipe II of Spain on the Portuguese throne
reigning as Felipe I of Portugal, this union lasting until 1640.
Álvaro de
Bazán y Guzmán passed away in Lisbon, Portugal in February 1588 where he was interred.
His remains were later moved to the family chapel at the Palace of the Marquis
of Santa Cruz in Viso del Marqués, Ciudad Real, Spain.
The Coin:
The Reverse of the 5 Euro - 4 Reale Coin features a portrait of Álvaro de Bazán y Guzmán, inspired from the oil painting
by the artist Rafael Tegeo, placed to the left side of the coin.
To the right
is a reproduction of the stern lantern of the flagship La Loba, commanded by
the Spanish admiral during the Battle of Lepanto.
Both the original painting
and lantern are housed in the Naval Museum of Madrid.
Between the portrait of
Bazán y Guzmán and the lantern is the denomination "5 EURO" and to the left of
the portrait is the "crowned M mintmark" referencing the Mint of Madrid.
Along
the lower periphery commencing from the left is the commemorative inscription "5
CENTENARIO ÁLVARO DE BAZÁN 1526-2026".
A border of waves is placed along the
upper rim and alongside the lantern.
The Obverse of the 5 Euro - 4 Reale Coin features a colour reproduction
of the coat of arms of Álvaro de Bazán y Guzmán, 1st Marquis of Santa Cruz,
centred.
The crest is an historic emblem featuring the traditional chequered
pattern of the Bazán lineage combined with elements representing the Order of
Santiago and his grand seigneurial titles.
Along the upper left periphery is the text "ESPAÑA" and below the crest along the lower rim is the commemorative inscription - "CAPITÁN GENERAL DEL MAR OCÉANO" ("Captain General of the Ocean Sea"). Just under
the crest is the year of issue, 2026.
A border of waves surrounds the primary
design, culminating in the upper left with the Cross of St. James.
The specifications of this Coin are:
Denomination Metal Weight Diameter Quality Maximum Mintage
5 Euro – 4 Reales .925 Silver 13.5
g. 33 mm. Proof & Colour 4,000
- Each Proof quality coin is
encapsulated and presented in a custom case accompanied with a Certificate of Authenticity (COA).
Links:
The "Real de a Ocho - Roots of Canadian Currency":
4618) Did You Know Series (146): "The Real de a Ocho - Roots of Canadian Currency", Canada: Part 1 - The Royal Canadian Mint (RCM) has issued a $20 (Twenty Dollars - CAN) Silver Proof Coin which highlights the Evolution of Canadian Currency from the influence of the Spanish Real de a Ocho: A Joint issue brought out by the RCM and Spain's FNMT - Real Casa de la Moneda: Date/Year of Joint issue: 29.06.2026
4619) Did You Know series (146) "The Real de a Ocho - Roots of Canadian Currency", Spain: Part II - The Fabrica Nacoinal de Moneda y Timbre - Real Casa de la Moneda (FNMT) has issued a 10 Euro .999 Silver Proof Coin which traces the Origins of First Global Currency: A Joint issue brought out by the RCM and Spain's FNMT - Real Casa de la Moneda: Date/Year of Joint issue: 29.06.2026
Links:
Links to SS Central America (The Ship Of Gold) posts on this blog:
i) "SS Central America" (The "Ship of Gold"), USA (Part I): "California Gold Rush" Gold Nuggets recovered from the historic wreck which sank on 12.09.1857
ii) The Ship of Gold (SS Central America), USA - Part II: A historic 54-pound Gold Rush ingot which sank to the bottom of the Sea in the shipwreck SS Central America in 1857 was recovered 131 years later
"Australian Shipwrecks" Coin Series:
Links to interesting Posts on coins from Tuvalu Islands:
The Treasure ship: San Jose:
The Treasure ship : Princess Louisa:
The Clipper - Cutty Sark:
Did You Know Series : The SS Tilawa:
Nuestra Senora de Atocha shipwreck & Salvage of the enormous Treasure:
The Atlantic Sands - Shipwreck:
The 1715 Treasure Fleet - or "The Nueva Espana Fleet:
For interesting posts on Coins and stamps of Portugal and Spain, please visit the following links:
Discoverers of Oceania Annual Stamp Series:
52) XX International Botanical Congress in Madrid 2024, Spain: Kyrgyz Express Post (KEP), Limited Liability Company (LLC): Date/Year of Stamp set issue: 10th March 2025
58) Did You Know Series (142): Nuestra Senora de las Mercedes (Our Lady of Mercy in English - a title of the Virgin Mary) was a Spanish Navy Frigate which was sunk by the British Navy off the South coast of Portugal on 5th October 1804 during the Battle of Cape Santa Maria: 2) Salvaging the Gold and Silver Coins worth $500 million: 3) The legal battle ehich was fought successfully by Spain
Trio Eclipse stamp Series:
For interesting posts on Coins and stamps of Portugal, please visit the following links:
The "Age of Discovery" Escudo Banknote Series:
My Stamp Album - The Adventures of Tori & Co.:
Spain and Spanish Culture through its Animals Gold Coin Series:
Some interesting links to Spanish & Portuguese exploration:
Discoverers of Oceania Annual Stamp Series:
Portugal:
The "Age of Discovery" Escudo Banknote Series:
For posts on coins issued under the Eurostar Coin Programme, please visit the following links:
Posts on Indian Railways:
1) Celebrating 150 Years of serving the Indian Nation by the Railways in 2002-03
Posts on United Kingdom Railways:
1) Commemorating 150 Years of the London Underground : Two pound Coins minted by the Royal Mint UK, showing the "Roundel" logo and a train emerging from a tunnel
Japanese Railways:
1) 150th Anniversary of Railways in Japan (1872-2022): The Japan Mint has issued a 1,000 Yen Silver Coin to commemorate the milestone: Date/Year of Coin issue: 04.10.2022
Steam Power - Australian Rail Heritage Coin Series:
Posts on Romanian Locomotives/Trains:
6) Steam Locomotives", Romania: Romfilatelia (Romanian Post) has issued a set of fout postage stamps featuriung steam locomotives: Date/Year of Stamp Set issus: 24.09.2025
Posts on Czechoslovakia Trains:
11) Skoda 498 "Albatros" Steam Locomotive, Czechoslovakia: A Gold Medal issued by the Czech Mint commemorating the iconic "workhorse" of the 1940s upto 1970s: Date/Year of Medal issue: 2021
Posts on Trains Stamps from Spain:
1) The New Silk Road: A Joint issue of a two Stamp Set of 1.50 Euros each by Spain (Correos Post) and China: Stamps issue date: 01.07.2019
2) Historic Trains - Euskotren Steam Train, Spain: A postage stamp issued by Correios (Spanish Post): Date/Year of Stamp issue: 27.09.2025
Crypto Stamps with NFT:
:1) Croatian Crypto Stamp - 2, Croatia: A 50 HRK stamp (a combination of the analog and the digital) issued by "Hrvatska Posta" (Croatian Post) in coordination with the Croatian Blockchain community gathered around the Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Association: Date of Stamp issue: 16.12.2020
2) Did You Know Series (49): Dogecoin (DOGE), Blockchain Mint, Singapore: Blockchain Mint has issued Silver DOGE Medals in three variants - i) Silver Dogecoin Cryptocurrency Medal Gem BU, ii) Silver Dogecoin Cryptocurrency Medal Proof-Like in Blister Pak, iii) Dogecoin Cryptocurrency Commemorative Medal Antiqued in Blister Pak: Date of Medal release/shipping: 05/2021
3) Did You Know Series (50): A Guest Post by Avery Wright: "Is Making the Crypto Space Legally Complaint Paving the Road to Mass (Blockchain) Adoption?" - A perspective:
4) Gibraltar Cryptocurrency Stamp: Stamp value 4 Pounds: Date of Stamp issue: 15.05.2021: (Pre-orderd accepted from 19.04.2021):
5) Bit-Coin Backed Banknotes are being envisaged by "Noteworthy" which are aimed at generating user confidence in the Cryptocurrency
6) "Blockchain Technology", Principality of Liechtenstein: A Crypto Stamp of CHF 5.20 titled "Perspective" issued by Liechtensteinische Post: Date of Stamp issue: 06.09.2021
7) "Bitcoin Logo", Niue Island: A $2 (Two Dollars) Silver Brilliant Uncirculated (BU) Coin features this iconic Logo of the well known Cryptocurrency: Year of Coin issue: 2022
8) Crypto-stamp - Rimec Nevera, Croatia: Hrvatska posta (Croatian Post) has issued a Crypto-stamp Souvenir Sheet (a combination of the analog and the digital) of One Stamp of HRK50.00 on a PVC background: Date of Crypto-stamp issue: 09.09.2021
9) "UN Crypto Stamps", United Nations: "New Technologies for the United Nations Stamp Series": United Nations Postal Administration brought out its first time ever UN Crypto Stamps, which run on Etherium Blockchain: Date of Stamps issue: 24.11.2020
10) "Equality", Liechtenstein: A "BlockChain Stamp Series: A Stamp 4.1 "Equality issued by Liechtensteinische Post (Philately Liechtenstein) with a face value of CHF 9.00): Date of Stamp issue: 09.09.2022
11) Croatian Crypto Stamp, Croatia: A 50 HRK Stamp (a combination of the analog and the digital) issued by "Hrvatska Posta (Croatian Post) in coordination with the Croatian Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Association: Date of Crypto Stamp issue: 09.09.2020
12) Crypto Stamp 4.0 - Grab the Bull by the Horns - set, Austria: Osterreichische Post AG (Austrian Post) has released a Joint-issue between two countries - Austria and Netherlands, featuring the new technology "Augmented Reality", with a new motif of the Bull: Date of Crypto Stamp issue: 28.10.2022
13) "UN Crypto Stamps", United Nations: "New Technologies for the United Nations Stamp Series": Series II of United Nations Crypto Stamps issued by the United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA) which run on Blockchain Technolgy: Date of Stamps issue:18.11.2022
14) 2022 NL Crypto Stamp - Duo Set Crypto The Netherlands (NL) + Oostenrijk (Austria) - Collectibles: Date of Joint Crypto Stamp issue: 22.09.2022
15) Nikola Tesla's inventions as motifs feature on Croatia's Fourth Crypto Stamp of 50 HRK issued by Hrvatska Posta (Croatian Post): Date of Crypto Stamp issue: 20.12.2022
16) "The Four Seasons" Crypto Stamps, Faroe Islands: The Faroe Islands Post (Posta Faroe Islands) has issued a set of four Crypto Stamps of 100 DKK (Danish Kroners) each featuring the "Four Seasons": Date of Stamp set issue: 23.06.2023
17) Professor Balthazar motifs feature on Croatia's Fifth Crypto Stamp of 7.80 Euro issued by Hrvatska Posta (Croatian Post): Date of Crypto Stamp issue: 07.09.2023
18) "Business Fox" or "Crypto Fox" with NFT. LiechtensteiLiechtsteinsche Post AG (Liechtenstein POst) has issued this Crypto Stamp in its continuimg series of Crypto Stamp issues: Date/Year of Crypto STamp issue: 02.09.2024
19) The World's first Multi-lateral Crypto Stamp, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg and Netherlands (Austria & BENELUX): Date/Year of Crypto Stamp issue: 21.10.2024
20) "Gibraltar Crypto Miniature Sheet Series" - A 5 Pounds Crypto Stamp celebrates the spirit of European Football issued by Gibraltar Post: Date/Year of Crypto Stamp issued: 04.07.2024
21) Crypto Stamp Island, Austria: Austrian Post has introduced a unique project - The world's first Crypto Stamp comic featuring their popular heroes: Date of Crypto Stamp issue: 21.10.2024
22) Empress Sisi and Emperor Franz Josef immortalised in physical form and on the blockchain, Austria: Oserreichische Post AG (Austrian Post) has issued this Crypto Stamp Art: Date/Year of Stamp issue: 12.12.2024
23) Swiss Crypto Stamp 5.0, Switzerland: Three main versions - Basic Edition, Silver Edition and Bronze Esition: Date/Year of Crypto Stamp issue: 09.12.2024
24) "The Creator - Techno Totem" : 1000 Satoshi, 2 oz Pure Silver Antique Finish Coin - Minted By: Mint XXI, Poland - United Crypto States (UCS): Date/Year of Coin issue: 2025
25) The Wings of Freedom 1000 Satoshi 1 oz Pure Silver Proof Gilded Coin - Minted By: Mint xxx, Poland - United Crypto States: Date/Year of Coin issue: 2025
26) A 25 Euro Silver Niobium Coin Set including Digitalised Crypto stamp: Date/Year of Digitised Crypto Stamp set issue: 12.03.2025
27) 0,001 Ether Ethereum (ETH) - United Crypto States: 1 oz Ag 999: Date of ETH issue: 10.10.2025
28) Athena, Goddess of Strategy, inspires bpost's new Crypto Stamp, Belgium: Date/Year of Crypto Stamp issue: 18.09.2025
29) Posiedon, Portugal: Heroes of Mythology Crypto Stamp series:m Correios de Portugal S.A. (CTT Portugal) has issued a Crypto stamp: Date/Year of Crypto Stamp issue: 18.09.2025