{"product_id":"wc-6120-congo-free-state-1888-5-centimes-ef45","title":"Congo Free State 1888 5 Centimes EF-AU (EF45) $","description":"Congo Free State 1888 5 Centimes EF-AU (EF45) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLeopold II of Belgium (1835–1909) reigned from 1865 to 1909 and is remembered both for his ambitious modernization of Belgium and for the brutal colonial regime he established in Africa. At home, he oversaw urban renewal, public works, and the expansion of infrastructure, helping Belgium flourish as an industrial power. Abroad, however, he personally controlled the Congo Free State from 1885 to 1908, where forced labor, violence, and exploitation led to the deaths and suffering of millions of Congolese people. International outrage eventually forced him to cede the territory to the Belgian government, but his legacy remains deeply controversial, marked by both national development and colonial atrocities. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eObverse: Crowned monograms surrounding a centralized hole, with the legend around. \u003cbr\u003eReverse: The centralized hole is located within a star, with the denomination above and the date below. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSpecifications: \u003cbr\u003eMonarch: Leopold II (1885-1908) \u003cbr\u003eComposition: Copper \u003cbr\u003eWeight: 10 g \u003cbr\u003eDiamter: 30 mm \u003cbr\u003eEdge: Reeded \u003cbr\u003eDie Axis: ↑↓ \u003cbr\u003eMint: The Royal Mint of Belgium, Brussels, Belgium","brand":"Colonial Acres Coins","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52291580100897,"sku":"WC-6120","price":76.5,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0679\/1744\/7457\/files\/WC-6120.jpg?v=1770064149","url":"https:\/\/www.colonialacres.com\/products\/wc-6120-congo-free-state-1888-5-centimes-ef45","provider":"Colonial Acres Coins","version":"1.0","type":"link"}