NAVIGATION - SPANISH CRUISER CARLOS V (SERIES II)ID92890060
ARMOURED CRUISER CARLOS V
On the obverse is reproduced, in colours, an image of the work entitled "Crucero Carlos V", which is preserved in the Naval Museum of Madrid.
On the reverse (common to all the pieces), the face value of the coin 1.5 EURO and the inscription HISTORY OF THE NAVIGATION appear. Out of the central circle there are six dolphins jumping.
| Series | History of Navigation |
| Year | 2019 |
| Colour | Yes |
| Diameter (mm) | 33 |
| Face Value (Euro) | 1.5 |
| Metal | Cupronickel |
| Weight (g) | 15 |
| Maximum Mintage (units) | 10,000 |
ARMORED CRUISER CARLOS V
Period: Nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
Length: 116 m Beam: 20.8 m Height: 12.35 m Draught: 7.8 m.
Propulsion: Two triple-expansion engines (100 rpm) and 12 cylindrical boilers.
Weaponry: Cannons, machine guns and torpedo launchers.
Description: Built in Cádiz at the shipyards of Vea Mugía en Cádiz, this ship owes its existence to the 1888 Naval Plan of Rodríguez de Arias, who commissioned civil shipyards to build military naval vessels. The only one of its kind, it was delivered to the Spanish Royal Navy on June 2 1897 and was finally decommissioned on December 5 1931. It was scrapped in 1933. At full load, this armoured cruiser had a displacement of 10,066 tonnes.
The hull was made of Siemens-Martin steel. Its heavy artillery included two 280 mm González Hontoria cannons, which were replaced in 1897 by Canet cannons of the same calibre. Secondary armament comprised a further eight Hontoria cannons (140 mm), four García Lomas (100 mm) and four fast-firing cannons (57 mm). The vessel also featured two 70 mm Sarmiento landing cannons and six machine guns (four x 37 mm and two x 11 mm), along with six torpedo tubes.
With a power capacity of 18,500 HP, the vessel was able to reach a speed of 20 knots. Its autonomy was 3,300 miles at maximum speed and 9,600 miles at 11 knots. It could carry up to 2,040 tonnes of coal with which to stoke its engines.Its initial crew was made up of 554 men and it cost 18,350,000 pesetas.
Key events: In the Spanish-American War of 1898, it formed part of the squadron under the command of Admiral Manuel de la Cámara in his bid to reach the Philippines via Suez, where he was stopped by the English command and finally returned to the peninsula.
In peacetime, the Emperador Carlos V and the armoured ship Pelayo were the Spanish Royal Navy’s only ceremonial vessels until the incorporation of armoured vessels under the Maura-Ferrándiz Plan (1908). In its ceremonial capacity, it was present at the Spithead Naval Review, held in 1902 to mark the coronation of King Edward VII. In 1903, it accompanied King Alfonso XIII on his visit to Lisbon. From 1906 to 1910, it was involved in a number of operations in North Africa, supporting the army with its fire power and transporting troops. In 1911, it escorted the liner Montserrat to Argentina for the celebrations of the first centenary of the Argentine Republic, attended by Isabella, Princess of Asturias as Spain’s royal representative. In 1913-1914, it went to Veracruz to observe the conflict between the Mexican Republic and the USA and defend Spain’s interests during the American occupation of the Port of Veracruz. Immediately afterwards, it travelled to Tampico to protect the Spanish colony. Finally, anchored in the ria at Ferrol, it was fitted out in 1923 as a pontoon-school for marines and torpedo operators.