200 Euros - Juan Carlos I Euro Introduction

Spain's euro changeover officially began on January 1, 2002, but the commemorative gold program marking the transition was phased across several years. This 2003 issue belongs to that cycle, produced by the Real Casa de la Moneda at its Madrid facility — one of the oldest continuously operating mints in Europe, with roots stretching to a royal decree of 1615. The .999 fineness was a deliberate departure from Spain's older gold coinage standards, which had historically run at .900.