The story of the 50 ECU Belgian Gold Coin

The history of the ECU 50 coin began long before it was first issued in 1987. The idea of creating a European unit of account dates back to the economic cooperation efforts that followed the Second World War, intensified in the 1970s with the creation of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). The ECU, created in 1979, was used to calculate the values of the currencies of the Member States of the European Community and to facilitate financial transactions between them. It was not a circulating currency, but a unit of account based on a basket of European currencies.

In 1987, Belgium decided to commemorate these first steps towards monetary union by issuing the 50 ECU coin. This coin, although not recognised as legal tender, quickly became popular as a gold investment coin. Belgium issued this coin until 1998, the year before the introduction of the euro.

The ECU 50 gold coin is minted to the high quality standards that characterise bullion coins. Since its first issue in 1987, the coin has been produced with a purity of 900/1000, meaning that it contains 90% pure gold. This first version weighed 17.28 grams in total, of which 15.55 grams (or half a troy ounce) was pure gold. From 1989, the purity of the coin was increased to 99.99%.

The ECU 50 coin measures 29 mm in diameter and 1.8 mm in thickness, providing an attractive surface for its detailed design. The coin's obverse is particularly striking: it depicts Emperor Charles V, one of the most powerful sovereigns of the 16th century, who ruled over a vast and diverse European empire. The portrait of Charles V is surrounded by the Latin inscription ‘CAROLVS. D. G. ROM. IMP. HISP. REX. DVX. BVRG. C. F.’, meaning “Charles, by the grace of God, Roman Emperor, King of Spain, Duke of Burgundy and Brabant and Count of Flanders”.

The reverse of the coin features the face value of 50 ECU in the centre, surrounded by the 12 stars symbolising the 12 founding countries of the European Monetary Union. Each year of issue is also shown on this side.

Although the ECU 50 coin has never been an official currency, it occupies a special place in the history of Europe. It embodies the hopes and efforts of European countries to strengthen their economic cooperation and lay the foundations for a stable monetary union, which finally came to fruition with the introduction of the euro in 1999.