Third Evento Numismático in Madrid

A resounding success

There is a pattern to new numismatic events that tends to repeat itself. The first event has a relatively easy time attracting participants, at least when its organisers are as well-connected as those of the Evento Numismático: Jesús Vico, Agustín “Augi” García Barneche of Sedwick Coins and Luis Domingo. Everyone comes because they want to visit Madrid again, feel connected to the organisers in some way and – naturally – because they are curious. The second event then has a slightly harder time of it, at least if you can’t – as happened in Madrid – pull off the brilliant move of combining it with an international convention of the IAPN. By the third event, the decision is made: will it continue? Is there enough sustained interest in the new event?

A meeting point for the trade in Spanish coins

To cut a long story short: yes, there is sufficient interest, even if international participation among exhibitors and visitors has declined slightly. They have been replaced by the many Spanish coin dealers and collectors who are ensuring that the Spanish coin market is booming. I would like to quote Josef Fischer from Emporium Hamburg at this point: “I’ve never sold better in Madrid than I did this time.” Because the event has now reached the stage where every good coin fair has its roots: it is demonstrating its economic strength.

Numismatica Peiró from Barcelona: Three generations united behind the counter. Photo UK.

With a focus on classical numismatics

The Spanish market is still very traditional in many respects and focused on classical numismatics, at least at the Evento Numismático. This may also be due to the fact that the setting is top-class and the prices reflect this. Madrid is not a cheap venue. But you do get value for money, including – amongst other things – an extensive programme of events. These are not merely intended for entertainment, but are designed to foster mutual understanding between academia, the public sector and the coin trade. Within this framework, for example, a public prosecutor specialising in cultural heritage issues and a judge from the Córdoba Provincial Court took part in a round-table discussion chaired by Alberto Canto Garcia.

The Evento Numismático is hugely important for the public image of the Spanish coin trade. It is a testament to the immense contribution that dealers and collectors make to the promotion of numismatics.

ibercoin from Madrid. Here, too, the whole family is involved in the coin trade. Photo: CoinsWeekly.

Modern numismatics in the background

At present, only a very small number of visitors to the Evento Numismático are interested in contemporary coinage. This may be because they have another meeting point in Madrid. Every week, anyone who collects affordable coins – whether old or new – heads to the Mercado de Monedas, which has been held on Sunday mornings in the Plaza Mayor for almost 100 years. Why should all those who find a wide selection of affordable contemporary coins there pay a lot of money to snap up one of the few tickets for the Evento Numismático, which have to be bought weeks in advance?

Take your time for viewing, have good conversations. Here, you can take your time when buying coins, which is appreciated by those investing large sums. Photo: UK.

Support from the Spanish Mint

It is therefore a genuine sign of solidarity with the collectors’ market that the Spanish Mint is one of the event’s regular sponsors. The opening ceremony takes place in its venerable halls on the evening before the event. As it does every year, the Spanish Mint combined this event with an exhibition opening in 2027. Once again, the FNMT’s numismatic and philatelic museum is offering a new attraction that every numismatist should definitely see.

This year, the FNMT exhibited the highlights of the coin collection of the Instituto Valencia de Don Juan – a breathtaking collection for anyone familiar with Spanish numismatics. For those who – like me – aren’t quite so well-versed in the subject, I’d recommend the film produced to mark this exhibition, which not only showcases the most important pieces but also tells the story of the collection. Unfortunately, it’s only available in Spanish.

The Spanish Mint has a large stand at the Evento Numismático. Photo: UK.

Madrid as a numismatic centre

With the Evento Numismático 2026, Madrid is cementing its status as a centre of the Spanish-speaking numismatic world that cannot be ignored. The Spanish market is significant, has strong purchasing power, is keenly interested and is therefore attractive to dealers wishing to connect with collectors from Spain and Latin America. However, they should speak Spanish to do so. After all, the love of numismatics in Madrid outweighs any enthusiasm for foreign languages.