What does the cryptic crossword clue "Steal the Spanish coin (6)" mean?

The definition is "coin". The wordplay uses a charade (building blocks). NICK (synonym of "Steal") + EL (abbreviation of "Spanish"); definition: "coin" The answer is NICKEL.

Steal the Spanish coin (6)

Guardian Cryptic #25765 | 10 Across | 2012-10-12 flower

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Also seen in

Telegraph #28444 (2017-06-03) Daily Mail Cryptic #16829 (2022-05-04)