History
A tribute to 150 years of Belgium
In 1980 Belgium celebrated 150 years of independence. To mark the occasion a gold commemorative medal appeared bearing the effigy of Leopold I, the first King of the Belgians. The design refers to the 19th-century gold franc coins. The reverse carries a laurel wreath around the year 1830–1980, without a face value: it is therefore a medal, not legal tender.
The medal appeared in two formats, inspired by the historical 20 francs and 40 francs: a smaller piece of 6.45 grams and a larger one of 12.9 grams, each in 90% gold (21.6 carats). The edge inscription is trilingual (Dutch, French and German), a nod to the three national languages.
Because the mintage was enormous, there is hardly any collector premium: the value lies entirely in the gold. That is precisely why we buy this medal at its pure gold content, at the day’s price.
| Format | Total weight | Fine gold | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 francs | 6.45 g | 5.81 g | 21 mm |
| 40 francs | 12.9 g | 11.61 g | 26 mm |
Why a medal and not a coin? The original 20 and 40 francs from Leopold I’s time were genuine circulation coins, struck to the standards of the Latin Monetary Union. The 1980 issue pays tribute to them but carries no face value and never had legal tender status. Hence the term medal. For the gold value that makes no difference: 90% gold remains 90% gold.
Do you recognise your piece? Many medals were sold in a presentation case, sometimes as a set combining the small (20 francs) and the large (40 francs) format. That case adds no gold value itself, but do bring it along: it lets us see the format at once and calculate the right amount of fine gold. Even for a damaged or loose piece, the gold keeps its full value.
