| Designed by Begoña Castellanos García, the
coin motif depicts Don Quixote holding a spear with two windmills in the background. This is one of his most famous episodes in
the novel El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quixote de la Mancha (The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha) by
Miguel de Cervantes (1547‐1616). Don Quixote is a reader addicted to his novels of chivalry who seems incapable of
distinguishing between poetry and truth. He considers himself a proud knight who is supposedly destined to embark on one
daring adventure after another. He mounts his rickety horse Rosinante ‐ faithful at his side the only seemingly naive
shield‐bearer Sancho Panza ‐ and fights windmills, among other things. On the left of the motif, recessed is
"ESPAÑA" (Spain) below it the letter "M" adorned with a crown, the mint mark of the Spanish mint Real Casa de la
Moneda in Madrid. At the bottom the year "2005" is shown in two parts on either side of the 6 o'clock star.
On the outside circle are 12 stars 4 of which are recessed and the others are in relief. From 2010 onwards the European
Commission specified that the 12 stars should be arranged identical ‐ the same way as on the European flag. |
