1919 Belgium 10 Francs

The 1919 Belgian 10 Francs coin was struck mere months after the armistice, a practical move to flood the economy with silver currency amid postwar chaos.

That silver, at 0.835 fineness, came from reserves that had survived occupation, though exact sources remain murky due to lost records from the era. The obverse shows King Albert I in profile, his stern gaze a reminder of leadership through the trenches, while the reverse features the Belgian coat of arms—lion rampant and all. It's a straightforward design, no frills, just function over flair.

Mintage figures? They're as elusive as prewar normalcy; official tallies burned in some archive fire decades later. I've handled a few over the years, and they're often worn from heavy use, not collector coddling.

Plenty claim it carries mystical luck, but that's bunk—it's metal, not a talisman.