250 Francs Marriage Albert II and Paola

Albert II and Paola Ruffo di Calabria married in 1959, four decades before this coin was struck to mark the anniversary. Albert was not yet king — he wouldn't accede until 1993, following the death of his brother Baudouin. The forty-year commemorative sits in an odd position in Belgian numismatic history: issued in the final year of the franc, before euro-denominated coinage began in 2002.

Belgium struck its last commemorative francs in 1999, making this among the terminal issues of that currency after more than 160 years of continuous use.