Quick Coinage Facts
Number of Types: 2
Years Minted: 1958
Composition: 0.8350 silver
Diameter Type: 30 mm
Weight: 12.5 grams (0.3356 ounces of silver)
Total Series Mintage: 858,000
Obverse Design: Bust Design
Reverse Design: Building Design
Introduction
The Belgium 1958 50 Francs coin was a one year type coin issued to commemorate the 1958 World’s Fair held in Brussels. The 58 Fair was the first to be held in Europe after World War II.
Like most Belgium coins of the time, two different types were issued for circulation where one used legends in French and the other with legends in Flemish (Dutch):
Type 1 – French, mintage total 476,000
Type 2 – Dutch, mintage total 382,000
Design
Desigend by Carlos Van Dionant, the obverse design features a bust image of King Baudouin facing left. On the outer periphery in French (type 1 coins) is the phrase BAUDOUIN ROI DES BELGES” or in Dutch (type 2 coins) is the phrase “BAUDOUIN KONING DER BELGEN”, both phrases translated to English read “BAUDOUIN KING OF THE BELGIANS”. Located just below the neck of the bust are the designer’s initials “C.v.D.”
The reverse design features an image of the Brussels Grand’Place with the town hall and the denomination “50 F”. In the upper left of the design is a star with five unequal rays encompassing the date and a terrestrial globe. Below the entire design is the designer’s name “C. VAN DIONANT”.
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Varieties
Though only issued for one year varieties do exist for both Dutch & French issues. Coins were produced in coin alignment (if you flip a coin left to right the reverse design is upside down) and medal alignment (if you flip a coin left to right the reverse design is right-side up).
Variety 1 – Coin alignment
Variety 2 – Medal alignment
Market Notes
As a fairly modern coin it was produced in large enough quantities and saved my most making it an affordable coin purchase in high grades.