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5 Centimes - Léopold I 25th Anniversary of the Inauguration
| Issuer | Royal Belgian Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 1856 |
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| Value | 5 Centimes (0.05 BEF) |
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| Obverse description | A seated allegorical female figure representing Belgium, draped in classical robes and wearing a mural crown, occupies the central field; she extends her right arm upward, proffering a laurel branch toward a draped bust of King Leopold I mounted on a decorated pedestal bearing the monogram 'L' within a wreath. The figure holds a sceptre in her left hand, and a shield is partially visible at the right. The engraver's signature JOUVENEL appears in the lower field. The date legend XXI JUILL. MDCCCLVI is inscribed along the lower exergue in Roman numerals and Latin script, commemorating 21 July 1856. A fine beaded border encircles the entire design. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Latin |
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| Additional information |
Issued to mark the 25th anniversary of Léopold I's inauguration as Belgium's first king in July 1831, this copper piece commemorates a reign that had survived far more than a quarter-century of routine governance — including the 1848 revolutionary wave that toppled monarchies across Europe while Belgium remained notably stable, in part due to Léopold's careful constitutionalism. The Royal Belgian Mint produced commemorative strikings of this type in limited quantities, primarily for presentation rather than circulation, which explains the survival rate in sharper condition relative to contemporary currency issues.