Belgium has been a kingdom since 1830, which is why Belgian euro circulation coins feature a portrait of the ruling monarch. Until 2013 it was King Albert II, since 2013 it has been Philippe. Every now and then, European collectors can find 2 euro commemorative coins in their change, however, most of them are of poor quality. That is why collectors should rather look for pieces of higher quality on the secondary market right away. In this article, I want to show you some 2 euro coins from Belgium that have a lot of potential.
2 Euro Circulation Coins
The Kingdom of Belgium was one of the first countries to introduce the euro as its sole currency in 2002. The reverse design (RV) meets the requirements set for all euro countries. Until 2013, the obverse (OBV) featured the portrait of King Albert II, since 2014 that of King Philippe. Euro circulation coins have been minted in Belgium since 1999. In 1999, 2001, 2012 and 2013-2018 no circulation coins were minted although coin sets were issued in those years. All coins are produced by the Royal Mint of Belgium in Brussels.
Just like 2 euro commemorative coins, all 2 euro circulation coins consist of a ring made of cupronickel. The core is made of nickel brass with a nickel core (CuNi / Ni, CuNiZn plated). All pieces can slightly be attracted by a magnet at the centre.
Technical Specifications
- Weight: 8.50 g
- Diameter: 25.75 mm
- Reeded edge
- All Belgian coins feature the inscription “2” followed by two alternately inverted stars next to the reeded edge.
Particularities
Coloured or even gilded pieces are not official issues. They have been doctored and lost their former value as currency. As of 2008, the year has been moved from the edge to the centre. In 2008 they also made a small (and the only) change to the portrait of King Albert II. However, this change has not affected the price yet. Nevertheless, you should make sure you have one of these pieces in your collection. You never know…
Mint Error Coins
Minor or more severe punching errors can often be found on coins of both obverse designs. Coins with die cracks have also been found for all years of mintage. Please pay special attention to rotated die error coins, as they are quite common and a pretty addition to any collection.
Appraisal
Belgian circulation coins can often be found in change. However, the quality of some years is very poor. On the secondary market, prices for coins of higher quality start at 3 euros. Coins with severe punching errors are worth up to 20 euros. Die crack coins are worth between 10 and 60 euros. And rotated die error coins achieve up to 70 euros depending on the rotation.
2 Euro Commemorative Coins
There are some 2 euro commemorative coins (starting from 2015) that were not produced for circulation. These pieces were exclusively made in Proof quality and available in coin cards. Since 2017, they have only been sold in coin cards. Especially the first issued commemorative coins have already increased in price.
Technical Specifications
The technical specifications correspond to those of a 2 euro circulation coin.
Joint Issues of the Eurozone
Belgian participated in all four joint issues of the eurozone of 2007, 2009, 2012 and 2015. So far, no mint error coins have been found. You can hardly find these pieces in circulation. On the secondary market, mint state specimens can be purchased for about 4 euros.
Technical Specifications
The technical specifications correspond to those of a 2 euro circulation coin.
Belgium–Luxembourg Economic Union, 2005
Belgium’s first 2 euro commemorative coin of 2005 features the portraits of Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg and King Albert II on the OBV. The piece was issued on the occasion of the economic agreement signed by both countries in 1921.
Technical Specifications
The technical specifications correspond to those of a 2 euro circulation coin.
Particularities
Coloured or even gilded pieces are not official issues. They have been doctored and thus lost their former value as currency.
Mint Error Coins
So far, no mint error coins have been found. Nevertheless, keep looking for minor punching errors, die cracks and rotated die error coins.
Appraisal
These coins can hardly be found in circulation. On the secondary market, prices for mint state specimens start at 5 euros.
Atomium Brussels, 2006
The 102-metre work of art by André Waterkeyn has been in Brussels since the World’s Fair took place there in 1958.
Technical Specifications
The technical specifications correspond to those of a 2 euro circulation coin.
Particularities
Coloured or even gilded pieces are not official issues. They have been doctored and thus lost their former value as currency.
Mint Error Coins
Many rotated die error coins were found right after the pieces were issued. However, please also pay attention to minor die errors and cracks.
Appraisal
These coins can hardly be found in circulation. Prices for mint state specimens start at 3 euros on the secondary market. However, rotation error coins are worth between 25 and 35 euros.
Obverse 75 Years Queen Elisabeth Competition, 2012
The competition was founded in 1937 and is considered one of the most important competitions for instrumentalists today. The OBV features the official logo of the competition, a portrait in profile of the Belgian queen.
Technical Specifications
The technical specifications correspond to those of a 2 euro circulation coin.
Particularities
Coloured or even gilded pieces are not official issues. They have been doctored and thus lost their former value as currency.
Mint Error Coins
So far, no mint error coins have been found. Nevertheless, keep looking for minor punching errors, die cracks and rotated die error coins.
Appraisal
These coins can hardly be found in circulation. However, the prices for such specimens start at 4 euros on the secondary market.
Jan van Eyck, 2020
The Flemish painter Jan van Eyck (1390-1441) is considered the founder and most famous representative of Early Netherlandish painting. Contemporary authors were probably right to call him the “king among painters”.
Technical Specifications
The technical specifications correspond to those of a 2 euro circulation coin.
Particularities
Coloured or even gilded pieces are not official issues. They have been doctored and thus lost their former value as currency.
Mint Error Coins
So far, no mint error coins have been found. Nevertheless, keep looking for minor punching errors, die cracks and rotated die error coins.
Appraisal
These coins can hardly be found in circulation. On the secondary market, you should opt for pieces that are still in the original coin card. The prices for such cards range from 9 to 11 euros.
I hope you enjoy your treasure hunt!
I would like to thank Best Coins Investment e.K. for kindly allowing me to use their pictures.
In the Cosmos of Collectibles online database you can find all Belgian 2 Euro coins.
And you can also find many more Belgian coins there.
Are you crazy about euro coins? We have a lot of articles that tell you which coins are worth collecting. Take a look at these articles by our author numiscontrol:
And if you want to know who wrote all this, you should read our Who’s who about Reiner Graff.
