🔎 About the 1916 Belgian 25 Centimes Coin

This coin was issued by the Belgian government-in-exile, as Belgium was largely occupied by German forces during World War I. The 25 Centimes coin was struck in aluminum, a material chosen due to wartime shortages of traditional metals like bronze and copper.

Its design includes a central hole — a common feature in small-denomination coins at the time — and the crowned monogram of King Albert I, symbolizing continuity of Belgian sovereignty despite occupation.

Specifications:

• Material: Aluminum

• Weight: 1.00 gram

• Diameter: 22 mm

• Edge: Plain

• Minted in: Paris (France)

• Obverse: Crowned monogram of King Albert I

• Reverse: Denomination and year with central hole

This lightweight coin circulated among Belgians displaced by war and was also used in occupied and unoccupied regions.

🕰 Historical Context

By 1916, Belgium was deep into World War I, with much of its territory under German control. The Belgian government operated from Sainte-Adresse, France, and oversaw the minting of coins like this one to maintain national identity and economic function.

Minted in Paris, these coins symbolized the continuity of Belgian sovereignty, even while the homeland was under foreign occupation. Their simple aluminum composition is a reminder of how wartime economies adapted with limited resources.

💡 Collecting Insights

• Wartime Composition: Aluminum coins from WWI are often worn or bent — intact specimens are appreciated for their fragility and symbolism.

• Design Symbolism: The crowned “A” monogram (for Albert I) is a subtle but powerful political message of continuity.

• Numismatic Niche: This coin fits within a fascinating category of “Exile Issues” — currencies produced by governments displaced during war or conflict.

Your acquisition of the 1916 25 Centimes coin enriches your collection with a tangible artifact from a critical moment in European history — one that carries not just monetary value, but a nation's enduring spirit.