1875 Belgium Leupold II Gold 20 Franc AU

1875 Belgium gold 20 franc coin in Almost Uncirculated condition, struck during the reign of King Leopold II (1869-1909).

Leopold is chiefly remembered as the founder and sole owner of the Congo Free State, a private project undertaken on his own behalf. He used Henry Morton Stanley to help him lay claim to the Congo, an area now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo. From the beginning Leopold ran the Congo brutally, using a mercenary force, for his own personal gain. He extracted a fortune from the Congo, initially by the collection of ivory, and later by forcing the population to collect sap from rubber plants. His harsh regime was directly or indirectly responsible for the death of millions of people. The Congo became one of the most infamous international scandals of the early 20th century, and Leopold was ultimately forced to relinquish control of it to the government of Belgium.

Coin contains 0.1867 troy oz of pure gold in a .900 fineness.

The obverse shows Leopold II facing right. On the reverse is the Belgian coat of arms, and the inscription, "L' Union Fait La Force" or "The Union Makes Strength".

Only 1 in stock.