10 Euros Admiral Luis de Córdova

To mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America, a series of collector coins is being issued. Under this theme, and reflected in the coin designs, the Spanish contribution to the success of the war in favour of the Thirteen American Colonies will be highlighted. Key figures such as King Charles III of Spain and the first President of the United States, George Washington, together with General Bernardo de Gálvez, Admiral Luis de Córdova and others, added to the enormous financial and logistical support provided by Spain, which took the form of huge sums of silver eight-real coins, the Spanish Milled Dollar, the origin of the first American dollar.

Admiral Luis de Córdova y Córdova (8 February 1706 – 29 July 1796) was a Spanish Navy officer. He is best known for his service in the Navy during the Anglo-Spanish War. His best remembered actions were the capture of two merchant convoys totalling 79 ships between 1780 and 1782, including the capture of 55 ships from a convoy composed of Indiamen, and other cargo ships 60 leagues off Cape St. Vincent.[1][2] In 1782 he battled the Royal Navy to a stalemate at the Battle of Cape Spartel, but failed to prevent the British relieving the Great Siege of Gibraltar.

Nuestra Señora de la Santísima Trinidad, nicknamed La Real, was a ship of the line of the Spanish Navy which was the largest warship in the world when launched. She originally mounted 112 guns, which was increased between 1795 and 1796 to 130 guns by closing in the spar deck between the quarterdeck and forecastle. In 1802 Santísima Trinidad was further upgraded to 140 guns, including four guns on the poop deck, effectively creating a continuous fourth gundeck, although the extra guns added were relatively small. She was the most heavily armed ship in the world when rebuilt, and bore the most guns of any ship of the line outfitted in the Age of Sail. Santísima Trinidad was captured by the Royal Navy on 21 October 1805 at the Battle of Trafalgar but was scuttled the next day.