2 Francs Belgium

This Belgian 2 Francs coin, struck from 1933 to 1940, stands out for its use of zinc as the primary metal—a hasty switch driven by the Great Depression's material shortages. That meant cheaper production, but it also led to coins that tarnished faster than a politician's promises.

Zinc planchets were punched from sheets that weren't always uniform, resulting in edges that felt more like tin cans than currency. The obverse typically showed the Belgian coat of arms, while the reverse bore the denomination and year. We don't have precise mintage numbers; Belgian archives from that period are spotty at best.

If you're collecting these, watch for the 1938 variety; it's scarcer, though I'm tired of the rumors that make it sound mythical. Zinc coins like this one didn't age gracefully. They rusted away in circulation.