The history of the Belgian franc extended over 170 years. The national currency unit was created by a law passed in 1832, two years after independence. Much of that history was also actually written by the National Bank, which has been printing Belgian banknotes since 1850 and became the "guardian of the currency" from the date of its establishment.

A visit to the National Bank's museum can also be extremely interesting, educational visits are highly recommended. Interested visitors may refer to two works which can be ordered from the National Bank:

  • Ben te Boekhorst, Marianne Danneel and Yves Randaxhe Adieu franc, Lannoo, 2001, ISBN 90 209 4439 8. Price: 7 euro (order).
  • The Belgian banknote, CD-ROM, National Bank of Belgium. Price: 15 euro (order).

Below you will find a summary of the history and the key dates in the history of the Belgian franc.
1830-1914: a young nation’s coins and notes
When Belgium was young it was not easy to choose a national currency unit; there were both economic and political reasons for adopting the "the franc" following the French example.
1914-1944: wars and monetary upheavals
The convertibility of the banknote was suspended at the start of World War I.
1945-2002: the rise and the disappearance of the Belgian franc
The decision to replace the old pre-war coins with cupronickel and silver coins – the last ones to be issued in Belgium – was taken in 1948.
Chronological summary of the history of the Belgian franc
Highlights in the history of the Belgian franc