Coins
The first coins were issued in 1854, in denominations of 2½, 5 and 10 centimes. In 1901, the bronze 5 and 10 centimes pieces were replaced by cupro-nickel coins. In 1915-1916, zinc 5, 10 and 25 centimes coins were issued by the occupying German forces. After the First World War, iron coins were issued in the same denominations before cupronickel was reintroduced in 1924, along with nickel 1 and 2 francs coins. The franc coins bore the inscription "Bon Pour", implying that they were tokens "good for" 1 or 2 francs. Such inscriptions also appeared on contemporary French and Belgian coins.
In 1929, Luxembourg's first silver coins since the late 18th century were issued, 5 and 10 francs. Bronze 5, 10 (smaller than earlier issues) and 25 centimes and nickel 50 centimes were introduced in 1930. The last coins before World War II were cupronickel 25 centimes and 1 franc pieces issued in 1938 and 1939.
The first coins issued after the war were bronze 25 centimes and cupro-nickel 1 franc coins introduced in 1946. These were followed by cupronickel 5 francs in 1949. In 1952, the size of the 1 franc (€0.02) coin was reduced to match that of the Belgian 1 franc coin introduced in 1950. From this time on, all new Luxembourg coins matched the sizes and compositions of their Belgian counterparts, although the 25 centimes (€0.01) was not changed to match the Belgian coin introduced in 1964. In 1971, nickel 10 francs (€0.25) were introduced, followed by bronze 20 francs (€0.50) in 1980 and nickel 50 francs (€1.24) in 1987.
Read more about this topic: Luxembourgish Franc
Famous quotes containing the word coins:
“A war undertaken without sufficient monies has but a wisp of force. Coins are the very sinews of battles.”
—François Rabelais (1494–1553)
“No Time, spoke the clocks, no God, rang the bells,
I drew the white sheet over the islands
And the coins on my eyelids sang like shells.”
—Dylan Thomas (1914–1953)