12 1/2 Euros - Albert II Queen Paola - Dynasty Anniversary

Issued to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the Belgian royal dynasty's continuation under Albert II, this small gold piece belongs to a series of fractional denominations that Belgium introduced partly to make official gold coinage accessible at lower price points. The 12.5 euro face value has no practical monetary function — it exists purely as a collector denomination, a category Belgian law has accommodated since the 1990s.

Queen Paola, born Italian nobility, married Albert in 1959 before either anticipated he would reign at all.