Belgium 20 and 50 Centimes 1952 to 2001

Sometimes Belgian coins use the French legend BELGIQUE and sometimes they use the Dutch legend BELGIE. These modern 20 and 50 centime pieces appear with both legends.

Irrespective of the legend, these are still modern coins are carry essentially face value. Just about all of them are worth less than $1 US dollar, even in well preserved condition. If you find a fully uncirculated example, an avid collector might pay two or three dollars to add it to his or her collection. There are a few exceptional coins which are more valuable, detailed below.

An interested CoinQuest reader named Peter provides this information:

The 'whistle' next to the 'guy with the helmet' is an old petrol mining lamp, also called a 'Davylamp' (e.g. see this link [PRESS HERE]). The guy with helmet is a miner, more specifically a coal miner. The mint mark below the mining lamp is 'RAU' which is the author?s mark and is his family name. Marcel Rau?s sculptures also decorate the new post WWII building of the Belgian National Bank in Brussels.

To keep coin collector juices flowing, there are a few of these coins with values higher than a few cents. They are:

- 20 centimes dated 1962, cataloging at $10 in well preserved condition
- 50 centimes dated 1953 to 1988 with medal alignment, $10 well preserved

To determine whether you coin has 'medal alignment' or not, hold it right side up with your thumb at the bottom and forefinger at the top. Now turn the coin from left to right, like turning the page in a book. If the reverse side is also right side up, you have 'medal alignment.'
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