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Belgian Belga

Started by Aernout, November 07, 2012, 06:37:46 PM

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Aernout

Dutch article translate with Google translate:

No Belgian coinhistory without currency devaluations. We will save you the details, but in the 20s of the last century, the franc is particularly bad. World War I and the failure of the so-called Latin Monetary Union (a mini-European Monetary Union avant la lettre, which made France the weather) have something to do with it.

We look barely still on, but the phenomenon of inflation for the postwar population was something new: in the 19th century, the purchasing power and the value of money almost always the same. On the high inflation was therefore somewhat rough or not, such as by simply banknotes from circulation and burning them.
In 1926, when the franc against the dollar for example in four years and one third in value was decreased after Belgium and finally a foreign loan had ask, claimed finance minister Janssen a reform in order to stabilize the franc. That was a big devaluation: the franc was now only one-seventh of its prewar value.
And the civil courage to give a new currency introduced: the Belga. That was worth more than five times the franc: a belga was good for five francs. First aim of the 'belga was to distance themselves from the French franc, but because supposedly five times stronger, gave it an important psychological effect in those crisis years: 1,000 francs to pay, or 200 Belga's, nevertheless provide the illusion less deep into the wallet to dig.
Brackets: after World War II France pulls the same trick with its devalued franc. 100 French franc becomes a stroke of the pen from the Gaulle back 1 franc.
The good old Belgian francs not disappear with the advent of the Belga, who are concentrated in the foreign money movement seeks to distinguish the French big brother. Between 1926 and 1946 bear Belgian banknotes and coins double denomination. The first denomination to belga designation in 1927, a new 50 franc banknote, or 10 belga ticket as you want. With "a very simple theme (...) that is easy to understand by the general public," writes the Mons designer and painter Anto Carte. It was therefore understandable peasant woman with a bundle of wheat in her arms on one side, and a lady on the other side that the "abundance by overseas efforts" (in Congo so) depicts through a cornucopia and a ship. You understand.
However, it was not that abundant. In 1929 Wall Street crash in 1931 collapse of the Austrian and German banks and tumbles even the pound, for centuries the symbol of stability, down. Belgium and tumbles them. In '35 devalue the franc by 28%. And also in the war by the Nazis imposed parity between mark and franc holds an actual value for the franc.
In the Gutt operation of 1944 one still uses the belga, but since the post-war currency reform one (especially for usurers) surgery was painful, one is the belga but then quickly forgotten. The belga was anyway but with inflation and devaluation associated.
Perhaps just as well that the belga disappeared. For our language. "My belga is fallen" would, for example among smokers only cause confusion.

mvg,
Aernout
Start small to end magnificent - Start klein om groots te eindigen.

Figleaf

Some remarks. The story behind the story is that Belgium was following the French policy of "les Boches payeront", the theory that Germany would pay all war damage. Therefore, it was not possible to issue new coins. The theoretical payments would in theory have brought the currency back to its pre-war exchange rate. At that point, the old coins could in theory be re-issued.

In practice, not only was payment impossible, but also, the attempt to wring the money out of the German economy caused huge social unrest. Hyperinflation at last made it clear that the situation was untenable. The Belga coins are the acknowledgement that the "les Boches payeront" policy had been abandoned. This was politically risky, but realistic.

My other point concerns the (anachronistic) ship on the banknote. There is no reason to believe it refers to trade with the Belgian colonies only. It is more likely to symbolise trade in general. "Wealth through trade is a recurrent theme on tokens and coins.

Peter
An unidentified coin is a piece of metal. An identified coin is a piece of history.

Aernout

A demonetized piece of 4 belgas.

mvg,
Aernout
Start small to end magnificent - Start klein om groots te eindigen.

Figleaf

Very interesting, Aernout. Any idea when this was done? Could it have been a nazi attempt to harvest war metals?

Peter
An unidentified coin is a piece of metal. An identified coin is a piece of history.

Aernout

@ Figleaf,

This article I found:

"De Belga reeks
Om het onderscheid te maken met de Franse Frank en vooral in een poging om de inflatie af te remmen werd er in 1926 besloten om een nieuwe munteenheid in te voeren, nl. de Belga. De Belga was 5 Frank waard. Hij verscheen voor het eerst in 1930 onder de vorm van munten. Deze munten van 1, 2 en 4 Belga, of 5, 10 en 20 Frank, bestonden uit zuiver nikkel. Het stuk van 4 Belga werd ontworpen door Armand Bonnetain (voorzijde) en Godfried Devreese (keerzijde). Deze stukken werden in omloop gebracht in 1931 en 1932. Het stuk van het type eeuwfeest, nl. het 2 Belga stuk werd ontworpen door Armand Bonnetain. De voorzijde beeldt de drie koningen af die Belgiƫ tot dan toe had gehad. Het stuk kwam in omloop in 1930. Tenslotte werd het stuk van 1 Belga ontworpen door Godfried Devreese (voorzijde) en Alexandre Everaerts (keerzijde). Deze stukken werden geslagen van 1930 tot en met 1934. Deze munten die helemaal niet populair waren onder de bevolking werden reeds snel uit circulatie genomen. De stukken van 2 en 4 Belga werden reeds eind 1934 ontmunt. Het 1 Belga stuk is pas ontmunt door de Duitse bezetter, die metaal nodig had, medio 1941. Heel veel stukken bleven echter achter en om het geldgebrek na de tweede wereldoorlog op te vangen werd het stuk in september 1944 terug hermunt. Het werd definitief ontmunt in 1951. "

Google translate:

"The Belga series
In order to distinguish the French Franc and especially in an attempt to slow down inflation was in 1926 decided to create a new currency to introduce, namely the Belga. The Belga was 5 Francs worth. He first appeared in 1930 in the form of coins. These are coins of 1, 2 and 4 Belga, or 5, 10 and 20 Francs, consisted of pure nickel. The piece of 4 Belga was designed by Armand Bonnetain (front) and Godfried Devreese (back). These pieces were put into circulation in 1931 and 1932. The piece of type centenary, namely the 2 Belga piece was designed by Armand Bonnetain. The obverse depicts the three kings that Belgium had hitherto had. The piece came into circulation in 1930. Finally, the piece of 1 Belga designed by Godefroid Devreese (front) and Alexandre Everaerts (back). These pieces were beaten from 1930 to 1934. These coins were not popular among the people were already rapidly withdrawn. The pieces of 2 and 4 Belga were already late 1934 demonetized. The piece is only 1 Belga demonetized by the Germans, who needed metal, mid 1941. Lots of pieces remained behind and to the lack of funds after the second world war to absorb the piece back in September 1944 reproduced. It was finally demonetized in 1951."


Bron/source:  http://users.skynet.be/peterdegroote/BelgFrank/Serie/Alb1-NED.html

mvg,
Aernout
Start small to end magnificent - Start klein om groots te eindigen.

Figleaf

So this one was hit on its backside and head in 1934. I was asking because the cancellation looked so modern and because 1941 sounded more logical. I never believed those "unpopularity" stories. There must be a reason behind that reason and I suspect it is that the government did not make a serious attempt to explain abandoning its policy of "les boches payeront". Thanks, Aernout.

Peter
An unidentified coin is a piece of metal. An identified coin is a piece of history.