Royal Mint of Belgium to close

[eurocoin]

As I earlier reported here (as a prime ), the Ministry of Finance of Belgium is considering what to do with the Royal Mint of Belgium. Yesterday the Belgian newspaper 'De Tijd' reported that there is now a specific proposal from Minister of Finance Johan Van Overtveldt to close the mint from 2018. Earlier the Belgian treasury already announced that they are going to close their banknote printer in 2020.

[Pabitra]

Which mints have closed down all over the world, in last few years?
I can count Sweden and Denmark so far.
Earlier, Nigeria, Sudan and Zimbabwe had closed down.

[eurocoin]

Which mints have closed down all over the world, in last few years?
I can count Sweden and Denmark so far.
Earlier, Nigeria, Sudan and Zimbabwe had closed down.

European Central Mint closed down too, not a national mint though.
Yes Sweden and Denmark. Norway is also on the verge of bankruptcy.

[chrisild]

Strictly speaking the "European Central Mint" did not close down but was closed down because their activities were not exactly legal to put it extremely mildly. - In terms of legit mints, the one in Malta closed in 1995 ...

Christian

[eurocoin]

Strictly speaking the "European Central Mint" did not close down but was closed down because their activities were not exactly legal to put it extremely mildly.

I know that story all too well  I am looking forward to the legal case against the main suspects (incl. the mintmaster). Mintmaster Patrick O. has one of the best and most expensive lawyers in the Netherlands (Jan-Hein Kuijpers). I think however that it will take the Public Prosecution Service at least until the end of next year or maybe even until 2018 to end the investigation.

[eurocoin]

Although no official decision has been taken yet about the closure of the mint, that decision only seems to be a formality. It is clear that the mint will be closed. The staff has conversations this month about a new job.

[eurocoin]

A very small part of the mint will remain open, this consists of the in-house assay office and Royal Mint of Belgium will remain the point of contact of the European Central Bank if things have to be discussed concerning Belgian coins.

There were rumours that also the production of collectors coins will remain at Royal Mint of Belgium although that is unclear.

The Belgian government already tried to close the Belgian mint in 2010, though it turned out that the plans were not to the liking of HRH King Albert of Belgium.

[eurocoin]

For way too long there hasn't been any news on this, so I decided to get in touch with my contact at the Royal Mint of Belgium. Below some information about the situation.

1. The Royal Mint of Belgium will be sold by the Belgian government. Exempt from sale are the building (which is not owned by RMB), the laboratory and the assay office. These last 2 will remain part of the Belgian government and will move to a different location before January 1, 2018. Staff is not part of the deal either. Most of the employees will receive a different job at the Belgian government.

2. Although no official decision has been taken yet on this, it is very unlikely that the design of Belgian coins (more specific: Luc Luyckx' office) will also stay part of the Belgian government. Likely the design of Belgian coins will become part of the tender. If it is being decided that coin design does stay a task of the Belgian government, of course this will also move to a different location like the laboratory and assay office.

3. The minting of all Belgian coins will be put up for tender.

4. Van Herzele will stay director of the assay office and laboratory (and possibly coin design). Possibly that part will also remain the Belgian point of contact of the ECB concerning coins, although that remains unknown.

Now the scenario that I think is most likely: Groep Heylen buys Royal Mint of Belgium, not because of the presses but only because of the trade name, which people know and trust. Then the Royal Dutch Mint (part of Groep Heylen) will win the tender for the coin production. Royal Dutch Mint will sell Belgian collectors coins and sets to Belgian collectors via the website of the Royal Mint of Belgium and through a distribution network of Dutch coin dealers that have offices in Belgium. They already have 1 such contract with Goudwisselkantoor. Furthermore they will of course sell wholesale to coin dealers.

[chrisild]

Just today I came across an interview with Luycx. The teaser made me curious, also because I thought the subject of the MRB/KMB might be addressed. Nah, the questions and answers (German) were disappointedly boring.

Christian

[eurocoin]

1.5 weeks ago the Belgian government approved a draft bill for the future of the Royal Mint of Belgium:

- Royal Mint of Belgium will transform from a factory into an administrative service which will also be known as 'Royal Mint of Belgium' and which will also be part of the Ministry of Finance of Belgium. All employees of the Royal Mint of Belgium, whatever their job was, have now become part of the Ministry of Finance.

- Royal Mint of Belgium will remain the international representative of the Belgian government on coins. It will also be in charge of quality control of coins in circulation. Furthermore it will help with the screening of counterfeit coins. Lastly it will be in charge of the ordering of Belgian circulating coins.

- It appears coin design will either be part of the minting tender or will be outsourced by the Royal Mint of Belgium. Furthermore all of its commercial activities will also be outsourced.

- Royal Mint of Belgium can sell its leftover inventory at its own discretion. This means for example also all of the coin presses.

- On January 1, 2018, the Royal Mint of Belgium will have left its premises opposite the National Bank of Belgium.

[Pellinore]

Do they have an old collection or archive? What will happen to it?
-- Paul

[eurocoin]

Do they have an old collection or archive? What will happen to it?
-- Paul

All dies have been sent years ago to the national library (no idea what the idea behind that was). The people there are still working on unpacking them.

Royal Mint of Belgium has a coin collection of all Belgian coins that have been minted there since 1830. Over the years some pieces of the collection have "disappeared". I do not know what will happen to it. I think they will keep it.

They have an archive. What will happen to it is unknown to me. I am in very regular contact with an employee at the Royal Mint of Belgium and so I was already planning to ask this. I think they will keep it as is.

In 2009 an archive selection list was made for the archive of the Royal Mint of Belgium. The person who made it must have been an idiot as according to the particular list virtually all archive records related to the coins that were minted there should have been destroyed by now. Luckily that has never happened, but who knows what will happen in the future 

[chrisild]

Thanks for for all that information. Somewhat strange that they plan to keep the "mint" name, but I noticed that the Danish mint apparently did the same thing ...

Currently the web store does not have any articles. But according to the mint they will be two more sale phases - in early and in late September. Will keep an eye on what they offer.

Christian

[eurocoin]

Article of a few days ago about the end of the Royal Mint of Belgium (in French):

http://plus.lesoir.be/106864/article/2017-07-28/la-fin-dun-symbole-national-la-monnaie-royale-frappe-ses-dernieres-pieces

[eurocoin]

It remains to be seen whether what in 2018 will be left of Royal Mint of Belgium really will remain to be known as Royal Mint of Belgium. The mint tried to trademark that name and logo but the lawyers of the British Royal Mint have last week opposed to that on the very last day of the 1 year opposition period. For many years that name and logo had not been trademarked. The Royal Mint's lawyers stated that the trade name is too similar to theirs and that the logo's are too similar to each other.

It is not the first time such a thing has happened. Between 2008 and 2010, the Royal Mint had a legal fight with the Royal Mint of Spain on the trademark application on their name and logo. Eventually they settled it and the Spanish mint retracted its opposition on the Royal Mint's application. I guess The Royal Mint now wants to earn back what they have had to pay to Spain at the time..