5 Euros The Renaissance, Gold

Issued as part of Portugal's ongoing "History of Portugal" commemorative program, this piece belongs to a series launched in 2009 that has addressed distinct chapters of Portuguese cultural and political history across multiple issues and metals. The Renaissance entry focuses on the 15th and 16th century flourishing of Portuguese arts, architecture, and humanist scholarship that accompanied the Age of Discovery — a period when Lisbon briefly operated as one of the wealthiest cities in Europe on the back of spice trade monopolies.

The .999 fine specification places it outside normal bullion coinage; at 15.55 grams it corresponds to a half-troy-ounce format favored by Imprensa Nacional–Casa da Moeda for collector series.