5 Francs - Léopold III Dutch text

Belgium's linguistic politics ran directly through its coinage in the 1930s. Following years of Flemish pressure, the government abandoned the bilingual format and split each denomination into separate Dutch- and French-text issues — a policy change that generated two distinct coin types annually rather than one, and has complicated date runs for collectors ever since.

The 1936 nickel 5 Francs also arrived just as Léopold III was navigating Belgium's return to strict neutrality, formally announced the same year. That policy would prove catastrophic four years later when Germany invaded regardless.