Alfonso XII's second portrait coinage coincided with the final years of his reign — he died of tuberculosis in November 1885 at age 27, leaving his pregnant wife María Cristina as regent. Production of this type consequently ran short, with the later dates in the series carrying significantly lower mintages than the opening years. The 1885-dated pieces in particular were struck in the immediate shadow of his death, and some were likely issued posthumously under regency authority before new coinage types could be arranged.
Alfonso XII's second portrait coinage coincided with the final years of his reign — he died of tuberculosis in November 1885 at age 27, leaving his pregnant wife María Cristina as regent. Production of this type consequently ran short, with the later dates in the series carrying significantly lower mintages than the opening years. The 1885-dated pieces in particular were struck in the immediate shadow of his death, and some were likely issued posthumously under regency authority before new coinage types could be arranged.