25 Francs - Léopold I Pattern

Pattern issues from the Royal Belgian Mint in this period were typically produced to test proposed denominations or compositional changes, and the 1847 date places this piece squarely in the later years of Léopold I's reign — a period of relative monetary stability following the turbulent coinage reforms of the 1830s that accompanied Belgian independence. A 25-franc denomination in bronze is a peculiar proposition; the circulating 25-franc pieces of the kingdom were struck in gold, making a bronze equivalent almost certainly a presentation or test striking rather than a serious circulation proposal.

The absence of standard catalog references in KM, Moran, and LA suggests this survives in very few examples, possibly a single known specimen.