2008 Spain €10 Silver Proof "Daoíz & Velarde"

• Mint: Fabrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre-Real Casa de la Moneda
• Denomination: €10
• Quality: Proof
• Issue limit: 12,000 pcs.
• Alloy: 92.5% Sterling Silver
• Diameter: 40 mm
• Weight: 27 grams
• Box/Capsule: Yes/Yes
• Certificate: Yes

2008 marks the 200th anniversary of the Spanish War of Independence.

In 1793, Spain went to war against the new French Republic, which had overthrown and executed its Bourbon king, Louis XVI. Defeated in the field, Spain made peace with France in 1795 and effectively became a client state of that country; the following year, it declared war against Britain and Portugal. A disastrous economic situation, along with other factors, led to the abdication of the Spanish king in favor of Napoleon's brother, Joseph Bonaparte, who quickly became regarded with scorn as a foreign monarch.

On May 2, 1808, the people of Madrid began a popular and nationalist uprising against the French army, marking the beginning of what is known as the Spanish War of Independence. Napoleon was forced to intervene personally, defeating several badly-coordinated Spanish armies and forcing a British Army to retreat to Coruna. However, further military action by Spanish guerrillas and Wellington's Anglo-Portuguese army, combined with Napoleon's disastrous invasion of Russia, led to the ousting of the French from Spain in 1814, and the return of King Ferdinand VII.

The obverse is dedicated to the heroic death of Spanish officers Daoíz & Velarde in the defence of the Monteleón artillery barracks. The reverse depicts Manuela Malasaña, a 15-year-old seamstress who was one of the 409 victims of the May 2 uprising in Madrid.

Additional Information

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