Belgian antique gold and silver coins

Belgian antique gold and silver coins are florins, sols, and liards, septims, and francs, issued by the mint of the kingdom until the transition to the euro. All Gold and Silver Belgian coins in our catalog. Very few people know, but the history of the Belgian coin did not begin from 1830 when the independence of the country was proclaimed. The first coin of Belgium was minted in 1790, after the Brabant revolution, when the Belgian United States was proclaimed. Let the new country exist only a year, the coins issued in this period had a strong numismatic influence on the official Belgian coin, which appeared after the proclamation of independence.

Coins of the Belgian United States (1790)

In 1789, in response to the liberal reforms of Joseph II and the establishment of Austrian rule in Belgium, the Brabant Revolution took place. After the Austrian troops were defeated by the rebels in the Battle of Turnhout in 1789, they were withdrawn from the country, and the rebels remained in power. January 11, 1790, with the signing of the Treaty of Union, the counties and the duchies of the Austrian Netherlands became one country: the United States of Belgium. Immediately after that, it was decided to issue coins of eight denominations: liards, sols, and florins. The coins have been in circulation for a year. All the inscriptions on them were in Latin.

• 10 sols and 1 florin (silver). The obverse depicts a lion in a fighting stance. The reverse depicts a handshake over eleven crossed arrows; the face value of the coin is engraved beneath them. The inscription on the reverse: «In Unione Salus» («Salvation in unity»).
• 3 florins (silver). The obverse depicts eleven coats of arms, surrounding the sun in the center. On the reverse side of the coin, there is a lion armed with a sword and a shield with the inscription «Libertas». The inscription on the reverse:«Domini est Regnum» («Our kingdom belongs to the Lord»).

14 florins(gold). The coin has the same design as the copy of 3 florin denomination.

Coins of Belgium (1830-2002)

After gaining independence from the Netherlands, the new Kingdom of Belgium in 1832 put its franc into circulation, an equivalent of a French franc. In 1865, Belgium, France, Switzerland, and Italy created the Latin Monetary Union, which Greece joined in 1868. By mutual agreement, each country had a national currency unit (franc, lira, and drachma) worth 4.5 grams of silver or 290.322 mg of fine gold. All coins supposed to be freely exchanged at a rate of 1:1. In the 1870s gold became a fixed standard and remained until 1914. All 1831-2017 Kingdom Belgian gold coins in our catalog.

Leopold I

Unless indicated otherwise, the obverse of the coin depicts the image of King Leopold I, the reverse – the coat of arms of the country or a face value with a year of issue.

• 20 santims (silver), years of minting: 1852-1858. Weight 1 g, diameter 15 mm, thickness 0.63 mm.
• 1/4 franc (silver), years of minting: 1834-1844. Weight 1.25 g, diameter 15 mm.
• 1/2 franc (silver), years of minting: 1834-1844. Weight 2.5 g, diameter 18 mm.
• 1 franc (silver), years of minting: 1834-1844. Weight 5 g,diameter 23 mm.
• 2 francs (silver), years of minting: 1834-1844. Weight 10 g, diameter 27 mm.
• 5 francs (silver), years of minting: 1832-1849. Weight 25 g, diameter 37 mm.
• 10 francs (gold), years of minting: 1849-1850. Weight 3.16 g, diameter 17 mm.
• 20 francs (gold), years of minting: 1834-1841. Weight 6.45 g, diameter 21 mm.
• 25 francs (gold), years of minting: 1848-1850. Weight 7.9 g, diameter 22 mm.
• 40 francs (gold), years of minting: 1834-1841. Weight 12.9 g, diameter 26.6mm.

All 1831-1865 Leopold 1 Belgian gold coins in our catalog.

Leopold II

Unless indicated otherwise, the obverse of the coin depicts the image of King Leopold II, the reverse – the coat of arms of the country or a face value with a year of minting.

• 50 santims (silver), years of minting: 1866-1909. Weight 2.5 g, diameter 18 mm.
• 1 franc(silver), years of minting: 1866-1909. Weight 5 g, diameter 23 mm.
• 2 francs (silver), years of minting: 1866-1909. Weight 10 g, diameter 27 mm.
• 5 francs (silver), years of minting: 1865-1876. Weight 25 g, diameter 37 mm.
• 20 francs (gold), years of minting: 1867-1870. Weight 6.45 g, diameter 21 mm.

All 1865-1909 Leopold 2 Belgian gold coins in our catalog.

Albert I

Unless indicated otherwise, the obverse of the coin depicts the image of King Albert II, the reverse – the coat of arms of the country or a face value with the year of minting.

• 50 santims (silver), years of minting: 1910-1914. Weight 2.5 g, diameter 18 mm.
• 1 franc (silver), years of minting: 1910-1918. Weight 5 g, diameter 23 mm.
• 1 franc (silver), years of minting: 1922-1934. Weight 5 g, diameter 23 mm. The design of this coin differs from the standard one with a caduceus on the obverse. It was considered a symbol of reconciliation at that time. Back in those years Belgium had tension concerning the introduction of two official languages.
• 2 franc (silver), years of minting: 1910-1912. Weight 10 g, diameter 27 mm.
• 2 franc (silver), years of minting: 1923-1930. Weight 10 g, diameter 27 mm. The design of this coin differs from the standard one with a caduceus on the obverse. It was considered a symbol of reconciliation at that time. Back in those years Belgium had tension concerning the introduction of two official languages.
• 5 francs (silver), years of minting: 1930-1934. Weight 25 g, diameter 37 mm.
• 20 francs (gold), years of minting: 1914. Weight 6.45 g, diameter 21 mm.

Leopold III

Unless indicated otherwise, the obverse of the coin depicts the image of King Leopold III, the reverse – the coat of arms of the country or a face value with a year of minting.

• 20 francs (silver), years of minting: 1931-1934. Weight 11 g, diameter 28 mm.
• 50 francs (silver), years of minting: 1939-1940. Weight 20 g, diameter 33 mm.
• 50 francs (silver), years of minting: 1935. Weight 22 g, diameter 33 mm. The coin is dedicated to the International Exhibition in Brussels and the 100th anniversary of the Belgian railways.

Baudouin I

Unless indicated otherwise, the obverse of the coin depicts the image of King Baudouin I, the reverse – the coat of arms of the country or a face value with a year of minting.

• 20 francs (silver), years of minting: 1949-1955. Weight 8 g, diameter 27 mm.
• 50 francs (silver), years of minting: 1948-1954. Weight 12.5 g, diameter 30 mm.
• 50 francs (silver), years of minting: 1958. Weight 12.5 g, diameter 30mm. The coin is dedicated to the International Exhibition in Brussels.
• 50 francs (silver), years of minting: 1960. Weight 25 g, diameter 37 mm. The coin is dedicated to the wedding of King Baudouin I and Princess Fabiola.
• 100 francs (silver), years of minting: 1948-1954. Weight 18 g, diameter 33 mm. The portraits of the kings of Belgium – Leopold I, Leopold II, Albert I and Leopold III are depicted on the reverse.
• 250 francs (silver), years of minting: 1976. Weight 25 g, diameter 37 mm. The coin is dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the reign of King Baudouin I.
• 500 francs (silver), years of minting: 1980. Weight 25 g, diameter 37 mm. The coin is dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the country’s independence.
• 500 francs (silver), years of minting: 1990. Weight 22.85 g, diameter 37 mm. The coin is dedicated to the 60th birthday of King Baudouin I.
• 500 francs (silver), years of minting: 1991. Weight 22.85 g, diameter 37 mm. The coin is dedicated to the 40th anniversary of the reign of King Baudouin I.

Albert II

• 250 francs (silver), years of minting: 1994. Weight 18.75 g, diameter 33 mm. Coin “50 years Treaty of the Benelux.”
• 250 francs (silver), years of minting: 1995. Weight 18.75 g, diameter 33 mm. Coin “60 anniversary of the death of Queen Astrid.”
• 250 francs (silver), years of minting: 1996. Weight 18.75 g, diameter 33 mm. Coin “20 anniversary of the King Baudouin Foundation”.
• 250 francs (silver), years of minting: 1997. Weight 18.75 g, diameter 33 mm. Coin “60 anniversary of the birth of Queen Paola.”
• 250 francs (silver), years of minting: 1998. Weight 18.75 g, diameter 33 mm.Coin “5 anniversary of the death of Baudouin I”.
• 250 francs (silver), years of minting: 1998. Weight 18.75 g, diameter 33 mm. Coin “40 anniversary of Albert II and Paola’s marriage.”
• 250 francs (silver), years of minting: 1999. Weight 18.75 g, diameter 33 mm. Coin “Wedding of Prince Philip and Princess Mathilde.”
• 500 francs (silver), years of minting: 1999. Weight 22.85 g, diameter 37 mm. Coin “Brussels – European Cultural Capital”.
• 500 francs (silver), years of minting: 2000. Weight 22.85 g, diameter 37 mm. Coin “Charles V”.

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Cost of coins

The Belgian septims and francs have the stable demand from collectors from all over the world. Today most of silver and gold coins are sold at a price of 10 to 200 US dollars, depending on the circulation and place of sale. The ancient gold and silver coins, such as 20 Belgian francs, issued from 1867 to 1914, are more expensive. Their price ranges from 200 to 300 US dollars.

Interesting facts

The Belgian mint, which began its work in the late nineteenth century, was into innovation. Belgium was the first country to introduce the coins from cupronickel in 1860.

At the end of the 20th century, Belgium, like many other countries that joined the European Union, issued a limited edition of a coin of 5 ECU denomination. This currency has nothing to do with the ancient French ecu. The abbreviation stands for simply: “European Currency Unit”. ECU was a transitional currency before the introduction of the euro and was not available for a free sale. Today, the interest in the Belgian ECU that is out of circulation is more than restrained. It is sold and bought at a price of 10 to 25 dollars.