{"product_id":"wgc-0357-belgium-1878-gold-20-francs-au55","title":"Belgium 1878 Gold 20 Francs AU-UNC (AU55)","description":"Belgium 1878 Gold 20 Francs AU-UNC (AU55)\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: Portrait of Leopold II facing right, with the legend in French around, and the date below. \u003cbr\u003eReverse: The Coat of Arms of Belgium, with the motto in French above, and denomination below. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSpecifications: \u003cbr\u003eMonarch: Leopold II (1865-1909) \u003cbr\u003eEngraver: Léopold Wiener \u003cbr\u003eComposition: 0.900 Gold, 0.100 Copper \u003cbr\u003eWeight: 6.45 g \u003cbr\u003eEdge: Plain with raised lettering \u003cbr\u003eDie Orientation: ↑↓ \u003cbr\u003eMint: The Royal Mint of Belgium, Brussels, Belgium \u003cbr\u003eMintage: 2,555,400","brand":"Colonial Acres Coins","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52599742136609,"sku":"WGC-0357","price":1315.58,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0679\/1744\/7457\/files\/WGC-0357.jpg?v=1779986695","url":"https:\/\/www.colonialacres.com\/products\/wgc-0357-belgium-1878-gold-20-francs-au55","provider":"Colonial Acres Coins","version":"1.0","type":"link"}