1938 Belgium 10 Francs

In 1938, Belgium's 10 Francs coin became one of the first to feature King Leopold III without the ornate flourishes of earlier designs, reflecting a shift toward simpler aesthetics amid pre-war austerity.

This silver piece, struck at the Brussels mint with a fineness of 0.835, entered circulation as everyday currency. The obverse shows the king's profile, while the reverse displays the Belgian lion rampant. Exact mintage numbers? Lost to history, probably in some bureaucratic shuffle during the chaos that followed.

I've turned a few of these over in my hands. They hold up well, unlike the myths that people spin about them bringing fortune. As if a coin could predict the future any better than a weathervane.