Object of the month

Assignats: currency from the French Revolution

It’s written in the history book: printing more money has never solved an economic crisis.

Thursday February 2nd, 2012 – 02:33 PM| Comments (0)

John Law: Financial genius or charlatan?

In the National Bank’s museum there are two old banknotes: paper inscribed with black letters and numbers on a simple white background. Made by the Imprimerie Royale, watermarked Billet de Banque.

Monday January 9th, 2012 – 09:50 AM| Comments (0)

When Brazil became the seat of the Kingdom of Portugal

The Europalia Brasil exhibition showcases a collection of gold coins illustrating the key phases in Brazil’s colonial history.

Thursday December 1st, 2011 – 10:57 AM| Comments (1)

Kayapó

To mark the Europalia Brasil festival, the NBB’s Museum is holding an exhibition under the banner “Of gold and feathers”.

Friday November 4th, 2011 – 10:53 AM| Tagged | Comments (1)

Pedro II, Emperor of Brazil for six decades

As part of the Europalia Brasil festival, various gold coins from the Banco Central do Brasil’s collection are temporarily on show in the National Bank’s Museum.

Monday October 3rd, 2011 – 10:07 AM| Comments Off

Herman Richir (1866-1942): a painter for the National Bank of Belgium

Last month, the Bank’s art collection acquired a new canvas signed in the name of Herman Richir (1866-1942).

Thursday September 1st, 2011 – 11:03 AM| Tagged , | Comments Off

Chinese Metallic Money and Cash

Chinese monetary history is a topic that requires readers to leave behind certain concepts that have characterised our money for some time.

Wednesday July 6th, 2011 – 09:33 AM| Tagged , , , | Comments Off

The Robustus

The Antwerp Robustus daalder, dating from 1584, is an emergency coin which illustrates the difficult situation then facing the city on the River Scheldt. In the 16th century, Protestantism was spreading rapidly in the Netherlands. However, the regions which had gone over to the reformed church very soon clashed head-on with the Catholic Spanish ruler.

Monday June 6th, 2011 – 08:50 AM| Tagged , , | Comments Off

Designing the Euro banknotes

Today, more than nine years after €-Day, when the fiduciary euro was put into circulation, the design of euro banknotes has been is only of secondary importance. But deciding what the new banknotes should look like was actually a very long drawn-out process.

Monday May 2nd, 2011 – 02:37 PM| Tagged , , | Comments (1)

Leopold II: a currency for the Congo Free State?

At the end of the 19th century, the Congo, with its territory 80 times bigger than Belgium, became the personal property of King Leopold II of Belgium. After the 1885 Berlin Conference, Leopold II was internationally recognised as the sovereign of the Congo Free State. In other words, he became the absolute sovereign ruler of the free State, with sovereignty being fully incarnated in the king’s persona.

Monday April 4th, 2011 – 09:22 AM| Tagged , , , | Comments Off