Portugal 10 Euro 2012 — 20th Anniversary of the Ibero-American Series

This commemorative 10 euro coin was issued in 2012 by the Portuguese Mint (INCM) as part of the IX Ibero-American series of collector coins, dedicated to its 20th anniversary. The Ibero-American series is a joint numismatic project of Spain, Portugal, and a number of Latin American countries, launched in 1991 to reflect the cultural, historical, and national characteristics of each participating nation. The 2012 issue involved nine countries: Argentina, Cuba, Spain, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru, and Portugal.

The obverse features the coat of arms of Portugal surrounded by the coats of arms of the nine other participating countries. The inscription "REPÚBLICA PORTUGUESA" and the denomination "10 EURO" run around the coin.

The reverse shows stylised sails. The inscription "XX·ANIVERSARIO SERIE·IBERO-AMERICANA", the year "2012", and the mint mark "INCM" appear around the coin. The stylised sails evoke the Age of Discovery — it was Portuguese and Spanish navigators who connected Europe with the Americas, laying the foundation for the cultural unity of the Ibero-American world.

A defining feature of the entire series is that each participating country permits its coat of arms to be reproduced on the coins of all other member states — an unprecedented practice in twenty-five centuries of numismatic history.