1842 Pattern 2 Francs

This 1842 Pattern 2 Francs was struck as a trial piece to test a new design for Leopold I's coinage, featuring his portrait in a laureate style that never made it to circulation.

Such patterns often served as experiments in the Brussels mint, using recycled silver from earlier coins to save on materials. We know it was part of Belgium's early efforts to standardize its franc system after independence, but exact production numbers are lost to history—likely burned in some bureaucratic mishap.

The coin's obverse shows Leopold's head, while the reverse bears the Belgian arms, all in a neat, unadopted elegance. If you're chasing one, expect wear from the few that survive; they're not as mythical as some claim.

Patterns like this are the numismatist's equivalent of a draft manuscript—full of potential, but rarely published.