1840 Belgium 5 Francs

The 1840 Belgian 5 Francs coin bears a portrait of Leopold I that was engraved by a Frenchman, a nod to the shared artistic influences across borders at the time.

This silver piece, weighing about 25 grams, was minted in Brussels as part of Belgium's early efforts to establish a stable currency post-independence. The obverse shows Leopold's head, while the reverse displays the Belgian coat of arms, complete with lions and a crown. Mintage figures for that year are murky; records from the era were often incomplete.

Some folks still claim these coins were cursed by the revolution, but that's just idle talk I've heard too many times. As for variations, a few proofs exist, though they're rare enough to make you wonder if they were ever meant for circulation.