1908 Belgium 2 Francs

The 1908 Belgian 2 Francs coin was struck mere months before King Leopold II's death in 1909, freezing his controversial visage in silver for posterity.

This piece, minted in Brussels, features Leopold's profile on the obverse, complete with his distinctive mustache, and the denomination encircled by a wreath on the reverse. It's composed of 0.835 fine silver, a standard for the era that reflected Belgium's adherence to the Latin Monetary Union. Production details remain murky; official records from that period were scattered during World War I, so exact mintage figures are lost to history.

Edge reeding on these coins was meant to deter clipping, a common fraud back then. Not that it helped much—plenty ended up in pockets rather than collections. Some numismatists quip it's the only way Leopold ever looked peaceful.