Euro information
Status: Euro-area member since 1 January 1999
Fixed conversion rate: €1 = 40.3399 BEF
Adoption of the euro: The
euro banknotes and coins were introduced in Belgium on 1 January 2002,
after a transitional period of three years when the euro was the
official currency but only existed as 'book money'. The dual circulation
period – when both the Belgian franc and the euro had legal tender
status – ended on 28 February 2002.
Exchange of former national currency:
The Banque nationale de Belgique – Nationale Bank van België (National
Central Bank of Belgium) exchanged national coins until 31 December 2004
and will continue to exchange national banknotes for an unlimited
period.
Belgium's euro coins were designed by Jan Alfons Keustermans, Director of the Municipal Academy of Fine Arts of Turnhout. There are two series of coins in circulation. Both are valid.
The first series depicts King Albert II in the inner part of the coin, while the royal monogram − a capital “A” underneath a crown − among 12 stars, symbolising Europe, as well as the year of issuance appear in the outer part.
In 2008, Belgium slightly modified the design in order to comply with the European Commission's guidelines. The coins of the second series also show King Albert II, but the royal monogram and the year of issuance now appear in the inner part of the coin, as do the mint marks and the country code for Belgium, “BE”.
