Spain mints second star: the coin marking 2026 World Cup triumph
Ten days after Ferran Torres sealed Spain's second star with an extra-time goal in the final against Argentina, the Spanish Royal Mint has decided the feat should also be struck in metal. The FNMT is...
Ten days after Ferran Torres sealed Spain's second star with an extra-time goal in the final against Argentina, the Spanish Royal Mint has decided the feat should also be struck in metal. The FNMT is preparing to launch a 5-euro silver coin under the title "World Champions", aimed at collectors and fans who want to take home something more tangible than the memory of the 1-0 at the MetLife Stadium.
For the Mint, this is more than just a collector's item: in its presentation of the coin it places the title among the great milestones of Spanish sport, stressing that its impact went far beyond the strictly sporting to become an event of social and institutional recognition. With this issue, the institution adds the achievement to Spain's numismatic heritage.
Heads and tails: Felipe VI and the trophy with two stars
The obverse, contrary to what early information from distributors had suggested, does not feature the trophy: it shows the left-profile portrait of Felipe VI, with the circular legend "Felipe VI rey de España" at the top and the year 2026 between two dots at the bottom, all surrounded by a beaded border.
It is the reverse that concentrates the World Cup imagery: at the top, the FIFA World Cup 26 logo; at the bottom, in capital letters, "World Champions"; in the centre, in colour, the tournament's official trophy. On the right, a five-pointed star appears over the colours of the Spanish flag and, below it, the face value on two lines: 5 Euro. On the left, the mint mark and another identical star. The whole design sits on a background that cuts into part of the silhouette from the World Cup's official branding.
The technical specifications, already finalised by the FNMT-RCM, clarify what until now had been left to distributors: 925 thousandths silver with the remainder in copper, a weight of 13.50 grams (with a tolerance of ±0.20 g), 33 millimetres in diameter, circular shape with a milled edge and a Proof finish. The maximum mintage is set at 50,000 pieces, the higher figure already being mentioned by some shops, while others were talking of much shorter runs, with a sale price of €60.33, VAT not included.
This is not the first World Cup coin, but it was the missing one
This coin does not come out of nowhere. Since 2025, the FNMT has been issuing a broader series within the official numismatic programme for the 2026 World Cup: 10-euro silver coins and 100- and 400-euro gold coins dedicated to the national team's participation, featuring a generic image of a footballer striking the ball.
Those coins celebrated Spain's presence at the tournament; this latest one celebrates the fact they won it. The most direct precedent dates back to 2010, when the Mint released a 20-euro coin to mark the South Africa title, La Roja's first star.
When it will go on sale
According to official distributors who have already opened pre-orders, the issue will arrive in early August, barely a few weeks after the final. What is beyond any doubt is the story behind the design: a World Cup in which Rodri took the Golden Ball, Unai Simón the Golden Glove and Pau Cubarsí the Best Young Player award, and in which Spain played a final that was a carbon copy, 16 years on, of the one in South Africa: an extra-time goal, an unexpected hero and, this time, Ferran Torres in the role Iniesta played in 2010.
