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At the onset of the peseta in 1868 provisions were made for the striking of 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 peseta gold coins. Of those, the 5 and 50-pesetas were never struck for circulation. Subsequent to the original authorization, the 25-pesetas coin was first authorized for circulation in 1876. The 1877(77) 25-pesetas coin has a mintage of 10,047,885. The gold 25-pesetas is 24mm in diameter with a gold fineness of .900 weighing 8.06 grams.
The central obverse device features a bust of Alfonso XII engraved by Gregorio Sellan whose initials G.S. appear on the lower rim of Alfonso XII’s bust. The obverse legend is roughly translated, “ALFONSO XII BY THE GRACE OF GOD.” The central reverse device features a crowned draped arms. The initials D.E. along the lower left rim of the reverse refer to mint assayers Eduardo Díaz Pimienta and Julio de Escosura Tablares. The initial .M. along the lower right rim of the reverse refers to balance judge Ángel Mendoza Ordóñez. The reverse legend is roughly translated, “CONSTITUTIONAL KING OF SPAIN.” There is also an edge inscription of 27 fleurs-de-lis in relief.
The central reverse device is the Spanish Royal Coat of Arms which follows the conventions of “Tincture in Heraldry.” Whereas the vertical lines represent red, the horizontal lines blue, the plain fields white, and the dotted fields, gold. Thus, the upper left quadrant of Castile is red. The upper right quadrant of León is white. The lower left quadrant of Aragon is alternating vertical gold and red stripes. The lower right background of Navarre is red. The field behind the pomegranate is white. Finally, there is a red shroud inside the royal or imperial crown over the Spanish Royal Coat of Arms. The escutcheon in the center of the arms with three fleurs-de-lis and a background of blue signified by the horizontal lines represent King Alfonso XII of the House of Bourbon. Collaring the central royal arms is the “Order of the Golden Fleece” given for chivalry of which all Spanish monarchs and a limited number of knights are members.
Alfonso XII was born on November 28, 1857, the oldest son of Isabella II. When his mother went into exile in France, he was almost 11 years old. While exiled in France, Alfonso studied in Vienna, Austria and later at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst in England. On June 25, 1870, in Paris, Queen Isabella II officially abdicated and named her son Alfonso XII as her heir. After a military coup led by Gen. Martinez Campos, the First Republic of Spain fell on December 29, 1874, and so began “The Bourbon Restoration” in the person of Alfonso XII.
Spanish King Alfonso XII inherited all the problems Amadeo I faced but, in the end, successfully resolved most of them. The first issue he faced was the Third Carlist War. The Carlists maintained that Alfonso XII was not sired by Isabella II’s husband, Francis, Duke of Cádiz but a captain of the guard. This unsubstantiated allegation was never proved, nevertheless, the Carlists propagandized this rumor to fan the flames of rebellion for the Carlist succession to the throne.
Led into battle by Alfonso XII himself, the Carlist rebellion was quelled on February 28, 1876, and the pretender to the throne Carlos VII went into exile. A new constitution in 1876 began to turn things around in Spain leading to a resolution of the 10-year war in Cuba and socioeconomic growth in both Spain and her remaining colonies. To most Spaniards, Alfonso XII was thought of as a wise and benevolent king. Alfonso XII married Mercedes of Orléans on 23 January 1878. Sadly, she died some six months later of typhoid fever. On November 29, 1879, Alfonso XII married Maria Christina of Austria. Unfortunately, Alfonso XII died of tuberculosis at the early age of 27 on November 25, 1885. His unborn son Alfonso XIII was his heir and Maria Christina became his regent.