King Juan Carlos I (2010 – 2014)

Spain's redesigned circulation coin of 2010 complied with the European Commission's recommendation for a more consistent approach to national sides. The second series retains the portrait of King Juan Carlos I but drops the background stars at the edge and the country name from the design. The issuing state 'ESPAÑA' curves to his left; the mint mark now appears to the right of the king's head, and the year at the lower left.

Juan Carlos I reigned over Spain from 1975 until his abdication in 2014 and is seen as a key figure in the country's peaceful transition from the Franco dictatorship to parliamentary democracy. He gained particular prominence in 1981, when a televised address helped thwart an attempted military coup and secure the young democracy. This role as a driving force of the Transición shaped his standing for decades, even though later scandals damaged his reputation toward the end of his reign.